


Not Going To Happen

by Caffiend



Series: Jaguar Villains - Thomas and Maura [1]
Category: British Actor RPF, Jaguar "British Villains" Commercial, Michael Fassbender - Fandom, Nicholas Hoult - Fandom, The Night Manager (TV) RPF, Tom Hardy - Fandom, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Algeria, Alternate Universe, Brothels, Crime, Dom Tom, Dom/sub, Dominant Tom Hiddleston, Drugging, Escorts, Excessive Profanity, F/M, Fighting, Fluff, Gambling, Hacking, Irish Gaelic language, Irish Witch Morrighann, Ketamine, Light BDSM, Period Sex, Romance, Roofies, Rough Sex, Smut, Suit Kink, United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, Villian Michael Fassbender, Villian Tom Hardy, Violence, Voice Kink, Yachts, coding nerds, coding netd, cupcakes and birthday wishes, endless use of the "f" word, intelligence operative, jag Tom, no daddy kink this time, operative work, plastique explosives, submissive sex, third world coups, tom hiddleston kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-05-28 06:07:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 32
Words: 95,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6317746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caffiend/pseuds/Caffiend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It sucks to be the low (wo)man on the totem pole in a covert intelligence operation. It sucks worse to be paired with the two biggest assholes in the UN Intelligence Task Force. And it really, REALLY sucks to realize that your placement undercover with one of the most vicious crime empires in Europe means you're completely expendable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome To The Blood Room - I Mean, Boardroom

**Author's Note:**

> This one isn't quite as aggressively muse-like as my High-Rise story. (Dr. Laing's Loose End) But, it's shifting around in my brain, so I wanted to keep writing while I was in the habit. As always, feedback and constructive criticism happily received. Thank you for reading!

C'mon," Nicholas pleaded, "come out with us tonight. You'll love this place."

Keeping her eyes on the computer screen, Maura answered automatically, "not going to happen, Hoult."

"You're turning into R&D's biggest loser, you know that." He slumped back into his chair, idly clicking keys.

"On the bright side, I took that title from you, so you're freed from acting as the department's dork." She tried to keep her grin under control. "That mean you might finally land a date. See? I _do_ serve a purpose in your social life."

His mouth dropped. "Well, that's just mean-spirited MacLaren."

Maura pushed back from her work station, sending her chair rolling over to his. Looking him over critically, she asked "do you have any other shirts here?"

"No..."

Sighing, she rolled back to her desk and pulled a folded t-shirt out from a drawer. Tossing it at him, Maura said "here. Put this on."

Confused, Nicholas unfolded the shirt to see her beloved vintage The Cure t-shirt. "What's wrong with what I have on?"

"Seriously? You've been watching too many episodes of 'The Big Bang Theory' again, haven't you? Geek Chic is out, unless you're cruising a Comic Con. Put the shirt on and get rid of that nerdy button-up." Tilting her head, "what are you going to do with your hair?"

Her lab partner just stared at her owlishly. 

Exasperated, Maura jumped up, automatically tightening her ponytail as she started rooting through her messenger bag. Pulling out her brush and hair product, she manhandled Nicholas into the tiny washroom attached to the lab. "Now, we're going to make this stuff on top of your head resemble hair. Styled and looking like you might have run a comb through it within the last week." Her work mate growled and tried to evade her product-laden hands.

"Geddoff! What're you doing!" 

Maura sighed, "I'm trying to get you laid, you daft boy. Now hold still..." Her hands moved deftly over his lank and too-long hair, styling it into a casual, windswept look. "...a little of this...and there! Look how handsome you are!" Turning Nicholas to the mirror, she smiled behind him to see his woeful expression brighten. "See? Now those glasses make you the hot intellectual type. Now, just take off that horrid shirt-" Yelping he pulled away from her again. " _Fine_ , Hoult. I'll leave the room and keep your virtue intact."

"Aw, it's just like one of those makeover montages from a shitty teenage movie," drawled an annoying American accent. "You gonna get Hoult laid at the Prom, MacLaren?"

"Ugh," her green eyes rolled as she turned to the newcomer, leaning against her desk with his arms crossed to show his muscled biceps. "Hardy. What an unpleasant surprise."

"You're wasting your time with The Virgin Hoult," he sneered, jerking his head at the bathroom door. Nicholas was just coming out, smoothing the t-shirt down. He flushed at hearing his title.

Slinging her arm over his shoulders, Maura smiled maliciously at the muscled newcomer. "Well, matching his new hotness and kind personality up against your severe lack of either, I'm pretty sure Nicholas is getting laid before you are tonight."

A unattractive flush went up Hardy's neck. "Bitch!"

Maura laughed. "Thus proving my point. What do you want?"

Flat brown eyes looked them over. "The Big Three want to see you. Now." Hardy grinned hatefully as he watched MacLaren's face go pale. It was no secret that she was terrified of the three men who ran the empire, just like the other 99.9% of their employees. Each step closer to the Boardroom (or the Blood Room, as some of the more daring had quipped) made the breath choke in Maura's throat. Getting called before The Big Three usually meant death or assigned to something almost certain to get one killed. Walking through the doors of the walnut-paneled room, she nervously tightened her glossy black pony tail again. The three men staring at them were sartorial perfection, custom Savile Row suits, crisp white shirts and silk ties, just their neck wear likely cost more than her rent. The one sitting at the foot of the huge walnut table gave a sniff. "Really, Thomas. Perhaps it's time to institute a dress policy in Research and Development." Maura flushed, aware that her baggy khakis and sweater looked terrible. 

"Hoult and MacLaren's value is their genius, not their fashion sense." The voice was heaven; the second in command always lulled Maura into a state of bliss. Perfectly enunciated Cambridge educated mastery in a deep, smooth purr. 

The bald man at the head of the table irritably waved his hand. "Stop wasting time, you two. Nicholas and Maura, sit down."

'So far, so good,' thought Maura, 'they'd never kill us where it would get blood on the oriental.'

Her relief was cut short when Ben, their bald-headed host clicked a remote. "Do either of you know this man?" Drawing a blank, Maura glanced at her lab partner, who leaned forward to get a better look. "Haman Amari," he nodded. "The Corporation sold him the surface to air missiles a few years back." 

Thomas fixed them both with vivid blue eyes. "Amari dropped off our radar when we made the move to...diversify." 

Maura stubbornly kept her eyes on the huge monitor, 'what he really means,' she thought sarcastically, 'is that the Death Triplets here figured out there was more money and less blood in bank and stock market fraud than drugs, whoring and arms dealing. Not that they haven't kept a good stock of all three on hand.'

"Off our client list but apparently not without contacts within the Corporation." Ben suddenly thundered, throwing the remote at them. Maura ducked it just as a hand wrapped around her ponytail and yanked her head back, Hardy's leering smile above her. A startled yelp told her Nicolas was getting the same treatment. "Amari cut into a £16 million pound funds transfer and intercepted the bonds into an untraceable account," Ben's voice was rising. "With our bloody software!" Maura bit back a gasp as he backhanded her, the blood from her split lip trickling down her chin, staining the milky skin of her neck. "Software designed by our department heads in Research and Development!"

An answering yelp from Nicholas told her he'd recieved the next vicious slap. "Sir- Thomas- you all know we'd never compromise the security of the Corporation! That software is so proprietary that one can't even recognize it without code available to less than ten people in the building!" Maura couldn't turn her head without ripping hair from the grip Hardy had on her ponytail, but she knew her lab partner was pleading with Thomas. 

"You're right," he agreed, eyes cold. "Including the two of you." Maura clenched her teeth as Hardy gave her another brisk slap. "Anything to say, Maura?" Her green eyes widened, over her 15 months here, this was the first time she'd ever heard her first name in his beautiful voice.

"Yes, Mr Pine" she agreed, "but could you ask the ape behind me to leave off for a minute?" He had the audacity to chuckle, negligently waving Hardy away from her. "You can't possibly doubt Nicholas, I know he's been here since you formed the ah- the Corporation. I am the one who actually designed the software. I'm sure you're aware of that."

"That's right," Michael spoke up from the foot of the table, "and we plucked you fresh from prison, didn't we, darling?"

"Yes sir," she agreed calmly, though she couldn't control the angry flush of her cheeks. "However, if you'll allow me, there's a signature trace on all ten access codes. Nicholas and I can start a track torrent tonight and have information for you within 24 hours."

"Is this correct, Nicholas?" Asked Ben.

"Yes! Eh, yes Sir. We had to program an electronic signature to see who would authorize the funds on any transaction." Hoult's guileless face was relieved.

Ben's face was still set in harsh lines. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get the fuck out of here and get to work!"

Wiping her bloody chin off on her sweater sleeve, Maura stood, waiting for her shaking partner to rise as well. "We're on it, Sirs," he assured them rapidly. "On it!" It still infuriated her that a simple backhand could bring tears to her eyes, and gritting her teeth, she strode angrily down the hall, Nicholas trailing after her, still rambling nervously. "Holy shit," he gabbled, "I swear I could see my life flashing before my bloody eyes in there. I was seconds away from pissing myself until you spoke up-"

"Let's just-" she took a deep breath and let it out through her nose, "let's just get this started, all right?"

"Oh, right. Yes, that's a good idea." He looked at her closely as they entered their lab. "God, Maura! They really did a number on you!" She ignored his earnest look of concern and realized his damage was much less than hers. Her full lower lip was split and still trickling blood, the hand print of of Hardy still red and clear on her cheek.

"It's not the worse punch I've ever taken," she sighed. Maura forced a smile. "If we can set up the tracking torrent quickly, you can still make it to the bar." She'd deliberately chosen the tracking program that only her lab partner could implement with his higher security protocol. Working together, they set up the program in less than an hour, Hoult entering the final code to start the search.

He leaned back, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "Nothing to be done now until the search finishes. I could definitely use a pint after today. Are you certain you won't come?"

Maura forced a laugh, "yeah, because this fat lip and soon-to-be black eye surely feel like a party." She felt badly when his face fell, looking guilty. "Not to worry," she patted his arm, "I'm going to go home and just take a hot bath. I'll be ready to go tomorrow morning." Idly feeling like she was taking the Walk Of Shame as she left the granite and glass building, the brunette ignored all the stares at her bloody mouth as she walked through the scanning systems and out the door. The Corporation was centered in a huge office building in London, and she preferred to live as far away as possible without rousing suspicion. Wearily unlocking the chain link fence on Poplar Dock Marina, Maura made her way to her shabby houseboat docked on the River Thames. She'd always been more comfortable in the water than on land, and finding the boat and mooring for a price within her budget was a dream come true. The houseboat was small, but beautiful inside, with richly polished wood and lots of paint and fabrics in soothing colors. Living in such a small space was actually easy for Maura. She had little in the way of personal possessions and liked the idea of being able to up and leave with a single suitcase in tow. Dropping her bag and laptop on the table, Maura went to the bathroom to get a good look. Her mouth was swollen and split from Number One's blow and the slap from Hardy was certainly going to black her left eye, if not both. She applied an anti-bruising gel and gingerly brushed her teeth. 'Could be worse,' she thought, 'no loose teeth this time.' Forced out of her gloomy contemplation in the mirror, she heard her phone ring. Bypassing her bag holding her cellphone, Maura flipped a switch filling the houseboat with white noise and picked up a phone strapped under a cushioned seat. "You bastard," she hissed. "You really couldn't pull the punch?"

Hardy's obnoxious laugh filtered back to her. "That was 50% playing the part and 50% pure enjoyment. So what else do you know?" She shrugged, looking longingly at her shower.

"Nothing. That mess with Amari blindsided us both. I could tell Hoult knew nothing about it."

"So there's another player, and they're inside the building." Hardy mused.

"So it seems," she sighed, "what a perfect cock-up."

"Will that tracking thing work?" 

"Oh, yes. It's a standard safeguard built into any piece of software we create." Maura bent down, stretching her sore legs gratefully, "the question is, do we get to the idiot selling our spyware before the Big Three do?"

She could hear Hardy light a cigarette, blowing smoke thoughtfully before he replied, "sent the report, just waiting to hear back."

It still irritated her that the two senior agents on this job could sent reports to HQ, but she couldn't. "Well, I'll know within 16 hours who it is, so by all means let me know how they'd like to proceed, won't you?" His harsh laughter broke in over the line.

"Aw, shit girl. Are you pouting? That's so cute. You want me to come over and rub your feet? Make you some cookies?" the American teased hatefully.

"Let me know, arsehole," she sighed, hanging up on his boisterous laughter. Carefully returning the burner phone under the seat, Maura went in to start the shower. Looking at herself dispassionately in the mirror, she knew she was considered  beautiful. Where she'd been raised, that was nothing but a liability. Maura stood 5"10 with a firmly muscled body. Green eyes, high cheekbones and a full mouth trained to smile, even when she really felt like screaming. But she'd done everything she could to appear plain as possible within the Corporation. Glasses with hideous smoked lenses that hid her lovely green eyes, ponytail and baggy clothes, no makeup. Maura couldn't afford any extra male attention that could impede her progress. She genuinely didn't understand those who identified by their attractiveness or lack there of. Appearances, plain or beautiful, were only as useful as the role they were intended to serve. Finally able to relax under the hot water, she sighed gratefully allowing herself a moment to simply enjoy the heat before quickly scrubbing up. The houseboat's tiny water heater ran out far too quickly for her liking. Wrapping up in a warm robe, Maura made a mug of tea and sat down on the deck of the houseboat, looking at the lights of London reflecting over the waters beneath her.

 


	2. "You Pay Me Enough, Mr. Pine"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura encounters unwelcome interest.  
> Smut's next chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always have trouble with suspension of disbelief when seeing an actor's real name in a story. There's a couple I didn't bother to change, but Thomas Pine is not related to his do-gooding doppelganger, and Michael Bender is...you know, that Fassbender guy.

 

Thomas Pine was ignoring the music and the hopeful giggles of the women in the Corporation-owned brothel behind him. Michael and Ben thought a "celebration" was in order, knowing they'd have the identity of the traitor by tomorrow. Admittedly, relationships in his line of work were complicated. It was simpler to pick a willing body from their array of high-end escorts and then leave afterwards, knowing his bed partner didn't expect anything different. But Thomas wasn't in the mood for any of it tonight. The angry expression of MacLaren, refusing to look to him for help even after they beat her was rousing his curiosity. Hoult of course, looked like a whipped puppy and instantly sought out his direct supervisor for protection. But not the girl. She kept her gaze on the monitor and Amari's photo, neither expecting or asking for intervention. Pine irritably waved off another set of feminine arms trying to wrap around him. The flood of extra attention wasn't surprising. Ben Kingston was well-preserved for a man in his 60's, but he relied on a combination of fear and gifts with the women here. Michael Bender, third in command was tall and handsome, but he was known for his brutality. It could take weeks to heal after an encounter with Bender, and most whores couldn't afford that kind of recovery time. Pine however- he was perfect. Ridiculously tall, dark hair and pale blue eyes the color of the ocean. Always polite and charming, with those big, warm hands and a cock that could hurt and make a girl scream at the same time. But the whole night was beginning to chafe at him. The noise, the smell of sweat, lust and over-applied perfume was only annoying Thomas. Politely excusing himself with the madam, he walked downstairs and got his Jaguar from the valet.

Running a long finger over his upper lip as he drove, he thought about hiring Maura, fresh out of prison on a financial securities fraud conviction. Too thin, defensive and barely opening those full lips to answer his questions.

"Maura MacLaren?" he asked.

She smoothed down the cheap black fabric of her dress trousers. "Yes, Mr. Pine."

Blue eyes darting over her folder, Pine already knew about her prison term, graduate of Cambridge in finance and computer software design, the sky-high numbers on her IQ test. "And why are you here, Miss MacLaren?"

Her pink mouth curved in an unamused smile. "As you can imagine, Sir, Barclay's Bank isn't eager to hire me. But discreet...circles say Jaguar Holdings is willing to take a chance on talent. I believe your head of R&D already vetted me, or I wouldn't be here talking to you. Sir." She held the smile, looking back at the intimidating Thomas Pine examining her file behind his huge and expensive walnut desk. The sun from the window behind him highlighted a gorgeous man, casually wearing a £3,000 custom suit as if it were nothing. He looked up at her.

You already know the pay is excellent. Bonuses can be significant." Thomas rose from his desk and idly wandered his office. "I'm sure you can imagine taking a risk on an unknown quantity in my line of work is...unwise. I oversee the Research and Development Department. The success and failures rest solely on my shoulders."

Maura could feel the warmth of him behind her, his hands on the back of her chair. "I would imagine the pressure is great, Sir."

"Indeed." Suddenly, his hand fisted in her hair and shoved her face down on the desk. Maura stifled a yelp of fear. His mouth was suddenly right next to her ear, that beautiful, patrician accent hardened. "You can understand then, the penalty for mistakes or disloyalty is a fatal one."

"Yes, Sir," she managed, "of course. I would do everything within my mortal power to keep you from disappointment."

Thomas' hand gripped her hair tighter for a moment, hearing a strangled moan from Maura's throat. His head cocked, confused. There was something about the way she held herself, terrified but anticipatory at the same time, holding still under his brutal grip with her proper responses and her "Sirs." A frown between his dark brows, Pine let go of her thick hair, watching her slump with relief. "See that you do, MacLaren. Hoult is outside, waiting to take you to the lab."

Clearing her throat, she managed to whisper, "Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."

Abruptly coming back to the present, Thomas was irritated to realize he was sporting a massive erection. Adjusting his trousers, he thought back to her breathlessness as she'd whispered "Sir." 'God, that was erotic,' he thought, pushing down his hard cock as he got out of his Jaguar.

Waking up early the following morning to run before work, Maura took a look in the mirror and groaned. Sure enough, both eyes were blackened and her bottom lip still split and swollen from yesterday's visit to the Boardroom. "I'm not going to be able to teach the self-defense class this week," she sighed. "Talk about a trigger when your instructor has two black eyes." Shaking her head at the irony, Maura laced up her running shoes and walked out on to the dock by her houseboat. The morning sun off the Thames was beautiful, and she smiled, enjoying the warmth of the weak sunlight on her pale skin. Stretching her arms high, Maura pulled one leg over her head, enjoying the moment too much to hear the footsteps behind her.

"Good morning, MacLaren."

Letting out a startled shriek, Maura lost her balance and nearly fell off the dock, one expensively suited arm reached out to grab her and pull her upright. "Good lord," she gasped, one hand to her chest. "What are _you_ doing here?" Looking at Thomas Pine's elegantly raised eyebrow, she amended, "I mean, are you checking on the search torrent? We won't know anything until Hoult and I access the program today."

"I assumed that." He looked her up and down, slowly. Out of her baggy clothes and in tight running shorts and a tank top, his employee was stunning, even with the damage inflicted on her face from yesterday. Long, lean legs, beautiful breasts and a pink glow under her creamy skin, her huge green eyes were exquisite without those hideous glasses. He put his hands in his pockets, relaxing. "I came to check on you. Visits to the Blood Room can be...unsettling." Maura stifled a started laugh at hearing him refer to the intimidating room by the saucy nickname. A corner of his mouth turned up as he watched her. "Of course I know what it's called. And the nickname is not unwarranted." She let out a short laugh, which died off as his warm hand reached under her chin, lifting to get a better look at her face. "Shame to see such a lovely face so bruised," he mused, running a thumb gently over her swollen lip.

Maura carefully stepped back from his hand, zipping up her sweatshirt to her chin. "I'm fine, Mr. Pine. Nothing to be concerned about. If there's nothing else..." She didn't like how her boss was looking at her, a slow appraisal as if he was seeing her for the first time. His eyes flickered back up to her apprehensive green ones. She hated the expression on his face, the knowing smile that grew from making her so uncomfortable.

Shrugging, Thomas said, "That's all. We'll be waiting for your report." Walking back up the docks to his car, he wondered idly why he'd come here in the first place.

 

"Anything yet?" Hoult's eyes rolled behind his horn-rimmed glasses.

"No, Maura, nothing in the last 30 seconds since the last time you asked me." 

Irritably, she rolled up the sleeve of her baggy t-shirt, "I know, I know! It's just driving me mad. I keep trying to figure out who on earth could be this stupid. Plus, I'd prefer not to be shot today."

He groaned, "don't remind me of yesterday! I had nightmares all night. I think I got maybe an hour of sleep."

Trying to change the subject, Maura teasingly smiled. "How did it go last night? Did you meet someone?"

Hoult's head dropped, "itwasn'tsogreatso..."

"I beg your pardon?" she said loudly, "I didn't hear that?"

Groaning, he looked at her, "I talked to a couple of girls, they came up to compliment me on your band t-shirt."

"See?" She encouraged, "They used the t-shirt as an excuse to say hello. That's good! Did you get a phone number? Buy them a pint?"

"No," Nicholas grumbled, "they wanted me to dance, so..."

"So what?" Maura prodded.

"So I pretended I had to hit the loo and escaped."

"Are you daft?" She smacked him hard on the shoulder. "You had two cute girls wanting to dance with you and you bolted? That makes you a legend among men, Nicholas! Why?"

His head dropped lower. "Don't know how.."

"To what? You don't know how to what?"

"Dance." His guileless face looked back up at her. "I can't dance."

"Don't be silly, Hoult. Everyone can dance," Maura encouraged. "Let me see."

"What?" His eyes were wide.

"Show me," she said, rising to her feet, plugging her phone into a speaker. The strains of Sia singing 'Bang My Head' came through her computer. She pulled her protesting lab partner up and took his hands. "All you need are a couple of moves, rinse, repeat, and you're a brilliant dancer." Nicholas whined, grudgingly moving his feet from side to side. "Loosen up!" she commanded, putting one hand on his hip and one of his sweating paws on her waist. "Okay, feel that? Just move your hips like so..." Getting into the music a little, he awkwardly tried to follow her. "Here, close your eyes," Maura encouraged. "Feel that bass beat? It's got a great African feel to it, swing your hips in the same rhythm, see? See? Like that!" Closing her eyes too, she smiled happily. Nothing felt better to her than a night of dancing, where she could be invisible in a crowd, moving to the music, free from herself and the burden of all the secrets she kept. The moment was cut short by the irritated clearing of a throat inside the lab. It was Hoult who let out the feminine-sounding shriek of surprise this time as they turned to see Thomas and Michael staring at them disapprovingly.

"Oh, God!" He gulped, "Sorry, we've just been waiting for the search torrent to finish."

"So we see," Michael said. "How...reassuring to see your people are on top of this major security breach, Thomas."

"We are, Mr. Bender," interrupted Maura. "The program is finishing it's last cycle, so you'll have the report in minutes."

Michael lazily strolled over, seating himself on her computer desk. "Very good, Maura. Why don't you show me how you implement this." She politely explained, staying as far away from him as she could without being obvious.

Thomas looked at his partner with a frown. Michael never gave Maura a second look before, but seeing her move like that...that sexy, blissful smile on her lips? Knowing what it did to him, Pine was concerned about how intently the other man was staring at his employee. The next fifteen minutes were excruciating for Maura. Michael's eyes never left her face and he forced her to continue the conversation while they all waited for the program to finish. The tone sounded for the end of the search program and she tried not to sag in relief. She disliked Bender the most of any of the partners. The Murder Triplets (her never spoken aloud nickname for them) all ordered kills, sometimes even performed them in person. But Bender _enjoyed_ the terror and the pleading, he was quick to take the gun himself. The one execution she was forced to witness was his, Maura stood shaking as he shot one of his own security detail for drinking on duty. She could still feel the hard grip on the back of her neck, one of the Corporation thugs forcing her to watch. 

Nicholas tried to comfort her when she stumbled back to the lab. "They make everyone watch one, an execution," he said as he offered her a mug of tea. "Mr Kingston thinks it impresses the importance of doing our job."

"Yeah, it did that." She forced her voice to stay level. After 4 years as an active-duty intelligence operative, Maura had seen death before. She'd even been forced to shoot and kill two men to save her partner. But the seriousness of taking a life turned macabre and disgusting when she saw how much Michael enjoyed causing it.

Forcing her attention back to the present, she watched Thomas take the search results from Nicholas and walk over to Michael as they examined them together. After a moment, Michael looked at them both. "You know of course, to never speak of this again. If you do, you'll receive the same fate as this fool is about to face."

"Don't threaten my team," Thomas cut in irritably. "They've performed admirably and proved their innocence. You two, take an early day. You've earned it."

 

But when Thomas walked past their office two hours later, Maura was still hard at work, intent on some program model she was altering with deft taps to the keyboard. "I believe I told you to take the rest of the day off, MacLaren."

Eyes still glued to her monitor, Maura apologized, "I'm sorry Mr Pine, the Japan division needed this program model to finish a net we're running on the Okahsa securities transfer. I'm nearly finished." Thomas leaned over her, looking at her monitor. 

"That's a surprisingly elegant design," he said. "How do you activate it?"

Maura lit up, she loved talking nerd code. "We found the firewall entry in Okasha's platform and sent the spyware back through a routine transaction. This program activates the net when the code sequence for the transaction inputs into the system. We'll have the tracking numbers for the next 40 transactions and the routing numbers. I have a feeling Okasha Senior is skimming off every fifth transaction."

Pine's dark brow quirked, "Why the fifth?"

Maura shrugged. "Anything closer together would disrupt the security algorithm and alert the system."

"Very well done, MacLaren," Pine gave her a nod. "Are you angling for another bonus?"

Maura was painfully aware of how close Thomas was standing to her, feeling the heat of him against her back and smelling the crisp scent of his cologne. It troubled her that the feeling was vastly different than enduring the homicidal Bender's scrutiny earlier. This felt...good?  She frowned and quickly returned her gaze to her computer monitor. "You pay me enough, Mr Pine."

Suddenly, his breath was directly on the back of her neck as his large hands clamped down hard on her shoulders. "I've never seen anyone in this organization turn down an extra chunk of money, Maura," his voice was low and right next to her ear, stirring the fine hairs on the back of her neck. "Such a response is so out of the expected that it makes me question your intentions. What exactly _are_ you after here, little girl?"

Maura held still, angry that her first impulse had been to rub her cheek against the hand holding her in place. "There's no game, Mr Pine. I got greedy at my last position and spent a long, unpleasant amount of time in prison for it. Becoming greedy here gets me an unmarked grave. I'd rather keep my head down and do my work, Sir. Much safer that way." For a moment, she was worried Pine would drag her out of her chair and shoot her on the spot. Mercifully, his grip suddenly loosened and he laughed.

"The cautious Miss MacLaren. Very well, finish your widget and be on your way."

"Yes, Sir." Thomas looked down at her, seeing the flushed cheeks and the red marks he'd left on her neck. There was something about the way she said "Sir" to him, sounding it in capital letters in a breath. He left the computer lab quickly as his treacherous cock began to swell.

After he left, Maura moved her shaking hand to pull out her burner phone, looking at the coded message she'd sent to Hardy with the identity of the traitor. It was hours since she'd sent it, and there was no reply, no word on whether Hardy got the message and had time to do anything about it. By the time she got back to the houseboat, nightmare scenarios of her fellow agent caught and being tortured were all she could think about. Just as she was finally ready to give up and go to bed, he called back. "Hardy! I thought you were dead! I didn't even know if you got the message."

Grinning, the spiteful American took a drag from his cigarette and let her wait as he blew the smoke out. "Relax Maura, Jesus! You act like this is your first assignment or something. It's done." Tom Hardy had 15 years longer into agency work than his junior partner, and he loved reminding her of it.

"Done? What did you do? What did Kennedy say?" She paced, infuriated that she was allowing him to get to her.

"Kennedy didn't offer an opinion, other than to confirm the order from HQ." Tom took another long drag. "Oh, dump this burner, they're sending us new ones tomorrow."

"Fine," Maura sighed. Giving up her pride, she asked, "What happened to the target?"

Eyeing himself in his mirror and flexing, Hardy grinned as he made his tribal tattoo bounce. Finally taking pity on her, he answered. "He was one of ours, not UN but close enough, MI6."

Maura gasped, "Why did he take such a stupid risk? For God's sake, HQ knew I was placed in the code room!"

He couldn't help the sadistic agreement. "Yep, you're the one that made the code that killed him. You're fucking lethal, nerd girl!" Hardy broke out in a hearty and inappropriate chuckle.

"He's dead?" Suddenly, her dinner was about to make a reappearance. "You couldn't get him out? What if they got something out of the poor man?"

Hardy shook his head, shucking off his jeans to admire the rest of himself. "They didn't get him. I couldn't get him out of the building, so I made it look like suicide."

Maura felt the blood drain from her face. 

Listening to the silence on the other end of the crackling connection, Tom laughed. "Fuck, you're such a child. What did you think I was going to do? We're all expendable, MacLaren." He turned and shouted out his balcony door, "We're all fucking expendable!"

Shakily hanging up, Maura wrapped her blanket around herself like an embrace, rocking back and forth.

 

 


	3. Call Me Sir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for mentions of domestic violence and sexual assault. Minor, but I'd rather you know.  
> Oh! And lots o' smut!

By next week, the bruising and swelling faded enough for Maura to teach her self-defense class at the YWCA. She'd thought long and hard about agreeing to run a class, worried about any possible spillover from the Corporation. In the end, seeing the women show up every week made her committed to holding class as long as they would come. There was over 25 women, all ages and nationalities. The only thing most had in common was being beaten by their loved one or sexually assaulted. "Oy! Maura!" She smiled at the bellow, knowing Angus was walking in. The gigantic lump of man cheerfully volunteered to let the class beat the crap out of him with only limited padding. 

"Angus! How are you?" She started fastening straps on his body padding.

"Eh, all good sister. And you?" He grinned, turning around with arms out so she could put his shoulder pads in place.

Thinking about the Murder Triplets stalking the halls of the Corporation in a rage all week, she shuddered briefly. They had not taken the traitor's so-called suicide well. "No worries here. Now, look. Please go into the manager's office and have some tea. I don't want to bring you in until I've had a chance to get everyone ready. All right?"

"If only it was a pint..." he teased as he left the gym. Watching the class fill never failed to put a smile on Maura's face. These women came back every week, taking the bus from their second job, walking from home or the women's shelter because they couldn't afford a car. But they showed up. 

"Welcome everyone!" she called out, clapping her hands for attention. "Let's warm up, shall we?" The laughter and huffing and puffing echoed through the chilly room as Maura deftly led them through the beginning steps for Krav Maga. She was actually trained to black belt status as well in Akido and Jujitsu, but she always used Krav Maga with her students. The basic moves were easy to learn, but lethal when done properly. After she was sure everyone was ready to go, Maura sat, circling the women around her. "Ladies, we've been talking about this step for a few weeks now. Your practice and dedication is amazing. But we need practical experience to make sure you're ready. For anything. Am I right?" Watching the frisson of anxiety pass through her class, she waited until they were calm again. "Good. I want everyone to meet my friend Angus." There were scattered movements of fear from the circle, and Maura deliberately stood to give Angus a hug. He was so large that he simply lifted her off the ground with one arm to return the hug, other hand waving shyly at the class. "Now, Angus is a friend who volunteered to be our punching bag, you get to kick, punch, any of the moves that disarm your attacker and let you get away." Looking at him, she had to admit she understand the group's anxiety. The ridiculous creature was gigantic- 6"4 and well over 250 pounds, missing teeth from his Scottish Soccer Hooligan days. "Angus, maybe you could tell the group why you volunteer," she urged gently.

His large grin faded, but Angus looked at the women, suddenly serious. "My Mum, she found a new man when our Dad left us. This one, he was an arsehole- oh, shit, sorry ladies!" After the laughter faded, he continued, "I was at school when they called me into the office. He'd beat my Mum to death. He always threatened to, but she said he was just joking." Suddenly looking tired, Angus slowly rubbed the top of his shaved head. "I was eight, and I couldn't save my Mum. But I'll do anything it takes to help you save yourself." Maura's heart swelled, and her class sat up straighter. 

"Okay, ladies, here it is. I'm going to try the first set of moves on Angus here, then go through the steps up to level ten. I want you to watch the increasing intensity. It's important to realize that even if the first moves don't stop your opponent, you don't give up, all right?" She and Angus circled each other on the mat until she called "Go!" He charged at her like a matador's bull, and Maura moved back, sliding her foot between his and tripping him. Angus went down like a sack of flour, but he was up and charging again within seconds. "Remember ladies, just taking him down once may not be enough to stop him!" Ducking his swing, she rolled her slim body under his knees and took him out again. The exercise went on between the two for another five minutes, until Angus accidentally clocked Maura when her back was turned to speak to the group. There was a collective gasp when she fell to the floor, blood spattering from her nose.

"Bloody hell, Maura! I'm so sorry!" Angus was genuinely upset, trying to haul her back up off the mat. 

"Not to worry, brother. I can take a punch. My Da saw to that," she muttered. Looking around she watched the frightened expressions of the women she was meant to empower. "Ladies, it's all right. Most of us in this room took more than a punch or two to get where we are today, yes? My Da was not...a good man. And he was a terrible father and husband. But if I let that consume me, I lose control over my life. And I am unwilling to do that. What about you?" Angus smiled, watching the instructor change the mood of the room into a fierce intent.

 

The next morning, Thomas clicked a link on his email and sat back to view a video of the class at the YMCA last night. He watched Maura as she moved that long and graceful body into lethality, over and over for the benefit of her students, and her confession to the group about her abusive father.

"Interesting."

He reduced the video and started on the morning's plan. "MacLaren. Please come into my office." The cool, seductive tone of Thomas came through her computer speaker. Glancing at Hoult with her eyebrows raised, he shrugged in confusion back. 

"You needed to see me, Mr. Pine?" He looked up to see Maura pushing her glasses back up with one finger. Thomas leaned back and gestured for her to sit. The difference between the confident Amazon on the surveillance video and the nervous woman in front of him, wearing her loose clothes like a disguise, made him tap his fingers on his desktop. After a couple of minutes of the mutual staring contest, Maura swallowed and queried, "Did you, um, did you need something? The new firewall link, maybe?"

His mind still on the woman in front of him, wearing tights and a sports bra last night and throwing that gigantic lug over her head, Thomas absently replied, "No. Not that."

Maura shifted again. Thomas was doing that uncomfortable visual circuit of her face and body again, the one where he seemed to be seeing her for the first time. His collar and tie were loosened, his crisp blue shirt sleeves rolled up to show muscled forearms. And the man _smelled_ so blasted good... They sat staring at each other until Pine suddenly shook his head. "No. Not the firewall. I understand you conduct...extracurricular activities outside the auspice of the Corporation." She stilled suddenly, reminding him of a rabbit huddling motionless to avoid a predator. 

'Stay calm,' she thought. 'You've done nothing wrong, stop looking guilty.' Maura lifted one arched brow, but said nothing.

Thomas smiled a little, the small change making his eyes sparkle with a warmth she hadn't seen before. "Your self-defense class."

Her heart fell into her stomach with a leaden thud. Had she exposed her students to something dangerous? 

He laughed, "Don't look so stricken, MacLaren. It's an admirable thing, certainly. I had no idea you were so skilled in martial arts."

"It's not particularly relatable to my position here, Sir."

Thomas suddenly leaned forward. "Everything- _everything_ is relatable to your position in the Corporation. There's always a place talents like yours can be used."

Maura's heart sank. "Sir, I'm not a soldier. I would fail you in that capacity. I write code."

Pine picked up an iPad and started moving around the screen, suddenly no longer interested in her. "My specific reason for calling you in is to remind you of your sensitive position here at the Corporation. You're smart. I'm not worried about you spilling classified information to a group of domestic violence victims-"

"Survivors." Maura corrected without thinking, for which she was impaled by Thomas's ice blue glare.

"I beg your pardon, MacLaren?"

"Su- um, survivors, Sir. That's what I insist they call themselves. They survived unimaginable brutality. They're not victims." Her heart was pounding. How angry did Pine get at being interrupted?

Looking at her again for a long, uncomfortable moment, Thomas nodded. "Survivors, then. Just remember who you work for. You are excused."

"Thank you, Sir." Eyeing her speedy departure, he was amused at her burst of bravado. Good for her.

Logging out that night, Nicholas asked Maura again to join a group from the Corporation at the pub. "It's Friday," he coaxed. "It'll be fun, I promise!"

She shook her head, smiling. "This is Girl's Night, I'm taking some of my favorites out dancing." 

Her lab partner suddenly looked hopeful, "Well, now that you've taught me to dance, maybe I could join you?"

Maura laughed. "Another time, tonight's just for the girls." In truth, she wasn't sure how the night would go. Putting on her favorite black dress, with an extremely low back and swirling skirt, she shook her head as she applied lipstick and mascara. Maura couldn't remember the last time she'd worn more than lip balm. In a burst of energy, she even curled her thick, glossy black hair and slipped on the first high heeled shoes she'd worn in at least six months. Taking a cab to the club, she questioned the wisdom of bringing the girls out from the self-defense group. She'd picked some of the younger ones, single and still deathly afraid of socializing with men. "Take a chance!" She'd urged, "It'll be fun. We'll all stick with each other, and you'll have a great time. We'll just dance together." Meeting her little group at a club in Brixton, Maura smiled to see the effort they'd all tried to make. The girls dressed up and clearly took time to do their hair. She knew that for most of them, this was a huge step. "C'mon girls, let's go own this place!" She laughed, and they linked hands and plunged in. The club was beautiful, techno music blaring, drinks flowing as she found them a big table in the corner. "Take your time, let's have a cocktail and we can all watch safely." After a couple of hours and a couple of drinks, she started dragging girls to the floor laughing and giggling with embarrassment.  

"Don't you dare be shy!" She laughed, "You look amazing!"

One of the youngest- Kelsey- looked at her and smiled, "No Maura, _you_ look amazing." Kelsey was right- Maura was happily sinking into the movement, tossing her long hair joyfully and losing herself into the darkness of music...feeling for the first time in forever like the weight of all the secrets she carried had disappeared. After another hour of dancing, a stern tap on her shoulder pulled her rather abruptly out of her fantasy. Turning around and ready to refuse someone intending to ask her to dance, the polite refusal died on her plump lips as she stared at the stern visage of Thomas Pine. "What are you doing here, Mr. Pine?" She gasped.

"Looking for you," he said, staring disapprovingly at the group of open-mouthed girls. Glancing back down at Maura, he said "You need to come with me. Now."

Maura looked at her girls, beginning to cower under his expression. Stepping closer to Thomas, she said, "Mr. Pine, may I speak with you a moment? Privately." He took her by her upper arm, drawing her to a quiet corner. "Mr. Pine-" her head was spinning, but she tried to gather her thoughts. "These girls, they're from my self-defense group. This is a big night for them, just going dancing after everything they've been through." She shifted on her high heels, "I can't have them see that a man can order me away like I'm powerless."  

He bent his dark head down to look directly into her eyes. "You _are_ powerless," he told her evenly.

Maura clenched her teeth. "I am," she admitted. "But I chose this when I agreed to work for the Corporation. These girls need to know that _they_  still have a choice."

Tom looked at her for a long time, and then over her head at the little group of girls staring at them. "Very well," he agreed. "I'll go upstairs and have a drink in the private bar. Get your group set for home and meet me outside by the valet stand in 45 minutes."

Maura felt ill and dizzy, but she knew that he'd given her some room. "I'll be there," she said, "thank you for waiting." Going back to the girls, she plastered on a smile. "Come _on_ women! She urged, "let's keep dancing!" The girls looked at her and then again at the well-tailored behind of her boss.

"Oh my God!"

"Maura, he's freaking _gorgeous!_ "

"You work for him?"

"Dance, you gossips! Less talk, more dancing!" She laughed, keeping a light smile on her face. Maura kept them moving happily for the next 30 minutes, acutely aware of the time winding down with a sense of doom. Finally, she admitted, "I've got to get home. Looks like I'm working early tomorrow." The girls happily bid her good night as she sent them home in a couple of cabs, slipping the drivers the fare and a generous tip. Hitting the ladies room, Maura was embarrassed to realize she was renewing lipstick and brushing her hair. Taking a deep breath, she made her way outside to the valet stand. Thomas was already waiting for her, leaning on the door of his Jaguar.

"Get in," he said, opening passenger door for her. With a sense of sealing her fate, Maura got in, carefully tucking her long legs and high heels into the car before he shut the door. There was dead silence for a few moments as Thomas navigated London traffic.

"Where are you taking me?" Mara finally broke the silence.

Thomas turned his icy blue gaze to hers with a calculated stare. "I'm taking you to dinner," he said.

Her fists clenched on the hem of her short black dress. "I thought this was a work requirement, Mr. Pine?" She asked, frustrated. "I was there with the girls, and-"

He cut her off. "It _is_ a work obligation, MacLaren." They finally stopped in front of a stately three story brick house in Notting Hill and he pulled into the driveway. Opening her door, Tom's hand reached to help her out of the Jaguar.

Maura stubbornly stayed put for a moment. "I thought we were going to dinner?" She questioned.

"We are." Thomas said shortly, gently ushering her out of the seat. Inside, she looked around at the shining entryway, impressed at how beautiful his surroundings were. Somehow, she'd always pictured the man living in an ice cave, 'or a dungeon' she thought resentfully. "Come in to the kitchen," Pine said. She watched with an open mouth as he took off his jacket, loosened his tie and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Then, her boss, one of the three greatest Crime Lords in England proceeded to make her dinner- pasta with seafood, paired with an incredible wine. They talked mainly of Corporation activity. Thomas poured himself another glass of wine, then offered to fill hers. Maura shook her head, covering her glass. The last thing she needed was to be drunk with her razor sharp-witted boss. Thomas leaned back in his chair. "Where did you grow up, Maura?"

She took a sip from her glass, trying to steel her nerves. "I would imagine you already know, Sir. Like how you knew about my self-defense class, how you knew where I was tonight." She watched as a frown passed over his expression, like a cloud over the sun. 'Maybe I've already had too much wine,' Maura thought.

"Humor me." He said shortly.

Maura sighed. "I was born in Belfast."

"And then?" He prompted.

"I earned a scholarship to Cambridge. Fortunately, I kept my grades high enough to get an early Masters of Science."

"You're being modest," he said, eyeing her over his wine glass. "A full scholarship to Cambridge requires astronomically brilliant performance."

Standing, Maura took her plate, then his. "Shall I wash the dishes?" She asked, trying desperately to keep him off the subject.

He shook his head, still gazing at her. "No, leave them. I'll have my housekeeper take care of it in the morning." Handing Maura her glass of wine, he led her into the living room. Spotting a massive grand piano she gasped, delighted, sitting down to run her fingers lightly over the keys. She smiled and closed her eyes, playing the opening notes of 'Clair de lune.'

"There was a piano like this when I was in Sixth Form," she said. "We didn't have money for something like lessons, but the music teacher let me come in on my lunch hour. It was so beautiful. I wasn't sure I'd remember how to play." Her long fingers drifted over the keys, feeling the warmth of Thomas as he sat next to her on the narrow bench.

"You play beautifully," he assured.

"Do you play?" She asked, then felt foolish. "Of course you do, you have this amazing instrument-"

"It was my mother's," Pine interrupted. "I don't play. But it's the only thing I have left of her."

She looked at him for a moment and then looked back to the keys, trying to remember the next part of the music. Maura didn't want to hear this. She didn't want to know that Thomas had a mother. That he loved her enough to keep her piano in a place of pride in his living room. She didn't want to know that he was a human being and not just a vicious businessman who dealt in death. And then his huge hand gently took her chin between his fingers, lifting her face as his mouth dropped to hers. 'Why does his mouth have to be so warm?' She thought as his tongue slipped sinuously between her lips, running over the lower one before gently sucking her pink tongue with his. The slightest sigh drifted from her mouth as his lips and tongue played with hers. He pulled back for a moment, searching her face. Maura's green eyes stared in to the swirling hues of the greens and crystal blues of his. 'Why does he have to be so goddamned beautiful?' She thought despairingly.

Then the words slipped out before she could think of something better. "This is _not_ going to happen." She slipped from the bench, grabbing her purse and heading for the door. Behind her, she could hear a growl of frustration from her boss and Maura walked faster. She frantically struggled with the locks and all at once he was there, leaning against the wall and staring at her. Just as her shaking fingers released the lock and opened the door, his fist came out and slammed it shut again. A sob escaped her lips, no longer a tough intelligence operative, not even a "take a punch" martial arts instructor. Just the terrified prey of the man next to her. Grabbing her by her upper arms, Thomas turned her swiftly and shoved her against the door.

"Kiss me." He hissed.

Shaking, Maura allowed him to close his lips over hers, sucking and biting, running that diabolical tongue over hers.

He raised his head, looking down with an angry expression. "Say it. Say 'kiss me'."

"This is NOT going to happen!" Maura couldn't think of anything else to say. Pine's huge hand pressed against her throat, the thumb pushing her chin up again.

"Say. Kiss. Me." He insisted, pressing his hand harder against her throat.

Her breath hitching, Maura whispered, "kiss me." His mouth slammed down greedily over hers again, tongue slicing over lips and mouth, teeth biting down on her full lower lip.

He pulled back for a moment, hand moving up to encompass her cheek, stroking it. "Say 'touch me'."

She shook her head wildly, long curls flying around her face. "No! Not going to happen, Thomas!"

His large hands slid up her arms, again, pulling her to him, then slamming her - hard - back against the door. One hand ran down to her left breast, squeezing it and stroking her nipple with his thumb. His voice was cold this time, like he would be at the Corporation. "I told you. Say 'touch me'. Do it now." One lean thigh thrust between hers, roughly lifting his knee so hard against her that Maura went up on tiptoe.

A sob broke loose as she tried to think of something that would stop him. "I- I can't! You're- you can order anyone killed, including me, but I won't-"

This time, Pine pushed the long length of his body against hers. With her three inch heels, she reached his nose, nearly eye to eye. Both hands shoved into her hair, long fingers locking around the thick, glossy black curls. "Darling. I gave you an order. Say 'touch me, Sir.' I want to hear it. Now." He knew he had her when her eyelashes fluttered.

"Touch- touch me, Sir." Maura whispered.

And he said, "Yes..." 

If she'd been interrogated later on what happened next, the field agent could never have given a rational response. All Maura knew was that she was flat on her back in Pine's huge and comfortable bed, dress torn off, shoes thrown somewhere and currently her boss was pulling her lacy black undies down her lean thighs. "I've been thinking about all your contradictions, lovely girl." His tone was conversational; she was desperately trying to pay attention. The feel of his calloused hands running over her legs made it hard to focus. 

"Such a nerdy little thing at work, hiding in your huge clothes and fake glasses." She froze as he chuckled.

"And that video of you in your tights and sports bra, throwing that gigantic neanderthal over your shoulder..." He could feel her heartbeat speed up, her breathing trying to control her panic.

"Then, there's that one delectable element. How you respond when you say...Sir." He whispered into her ear in his poisonous, sibilant way. Thomas grinned against her neck as he heard her breath hitch. "Ah, darling. I do so love that sound." He bit sharply into her neck, savoring her gasp. "I think I'd like to hear you say it for me. Say it, Maura. Say Sir."

"MMMph-" she moaned, desperately trying to hold on to her sanity. She knew Thomas wasn't a rapist, he wouldn't force her if she could just remember how to say no, he'd stop- "Ah! Oh-" she moaned as he bit into her shoulder again, even harder.

"I've told you what to do, my angel," he soothed. "All you have to do is say..." He licked up her neck as Maura moaned, '...is say, 'Sir'. Won't that feel so much better, my sweet little girl?" His clothes were off- she didn't remember when that happened, but she could feel the thick length of him pressing against her, the heat of his hard body warming her. Her green eyes were watering as he rubbed against her, slowly, tauntingly. He smiled when he saw the tears balancing in her green eyes, crystalline, just ready to fall. "Oh, baby," he comforted, "you don't have to cry. I can make you feel so much better." He licked gently up the bite marks he'd placed on her. "Say. Sir. Come on darling. Say it."

Maura angrily shook her head, trying desperately to remember who she was, why she was even here in the first place. "I- I can't. Please, Thomas! Please let me-"

Growling, Pine ripped his belt free from his discarded trousers. Swiftly wrapping it around her wrists and then the bedpost, he pushed harder into her sensitive pelvis. Moving his mouth to her ear, he gritted his teeth, barely holding on to his patience. "You _will_ do as I say, Maura. You are mine. In every way I can own you. Say. It." Her breasts pushed against his chest as she tried to regain her breath. "SAY IT!" He thundered.

"SIR!" She wailed, no longer able to keep a stable thought in her head, "PLEASE, Sir. Please touch me and- and-mmmm...Sir, please..." Maura shrieked as she felt his thick cock start working it's way into her. It hurt her, but she still couldn't stop her hips from rising upwards, desperately seeking more of him, needing the painful stretch and the pressure of him over her, still mindlessly pulling against the belt anchoring her to his bed.

Thomas was on fire. Her velvet insides were squeezing him greedily, the heat of her pressed against the inferno beginning at the base of his cock and moving upwards. He was sweating, when did the collected Mr. Pine sweat? His lips sought out a pink nipple, suckling it hard, trying to place where he was. The only thing that seemed to matter was the clutching softness of Maura's pussy and the whimpers she tried to hold back. Frantically moving his mouth to hers, he whispered against her lips, "I want to hear every moan, every little gasp you make. They belong to me. You are not allowed to keep them from me." Biting her lower lip hard enough to draw blood, Pine grinned, gratified to hear her moan in a deep and helpless gasp.

"Sir..." she moaned, "oh, God, you feel so good!" Her helpless admission made Pine groan, sending those sinuous hips into overdrive, pushing up into her, scooping back out. Feeling her heels slide down from his hips to his burrowing ass squeezing him, Thomas closed his eyes, gritting his teeth against his orgasm. Gathering his senses, he put his lips to her ear, feeling goosebumps sprout helplessly along her slim neck.

"Baby..." he managed, "babygirl, it's time for you to come for me. Come for me, sweetheart. Come for your Sir." As her legs started shaking, Pine added sharply, "NOW, Maura!" With a shriek, she let go under him, squeezing so hard against his thrusting dick that he shoved desperately into her, as far as he could go, feet bracing against the footboard to hold himself inside her as her slim body shook and trembled against his. His hands held her face tenderly, steady as his eyes looked into the swirling green of hers, sheened with with helpless tears. Maura tried to look away, but his big warm hands drew her back. "Even those tears belong to me," Thomas soothed, licking the moisture off her soft cheeks as the tears spilled over her spiky lashes. "All of you belongs to me..." he groaned, feeling her slickness slide gently over his cock, dripping down his balls and on to his sheets as he held her trembling body tightly. 


	4. I Do So Enjoy Watching You Blush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura encounters the awkwardness of The Morning After.

It's not like Maura hadn't woken up sore from taking a beating before. As she'd said to her class, her Da saw to that. But, stretching one long leg painfully and then the other, the beating her body took from Thomas all night was a completely different thing. There wasn't an inch of skin that he hadn't licked, sucked, bitten or entered into over the course of the evening into a very, very long night. Rolling over carefully to take stock of her injuries, she had to admit it was far more pleasant than waking up back in their little house in Belfast after her Da's latest drunken rage. Just as she was slowly sitting up in bed, Thomas walked into the bedroom, a smile curving one corner of his mouth. "Feeling a little under the weather, darling?"

She looked up at him resentfully under a curtain of black curls. "I'm fine, Mr. Pine." Maura instantly felt foolish, but what was she supposed to call her boss, the man who easily seduced her last night -four times- after treating her with nothing but professional disinterest since he'd hired her all those months ago?

His brows drawing together told her this had been the wrong answer. "Now, now, Maura. That's not what you called me last night, is it?" His wicked smile made her flush painfully. Thomas sat on the bed, leaning his bare, sculpted chest into her. He was only wearing black lounging pants and she could see, with some alarm, that his crotch was already bulging in a noticeable fashion. "Mmmmm..." He hummed approvingly, reaching out one broad palm and running it down her cheek, neck, and then over the swell of her breasts. "I do so enjoy watching you blush, it's impossible for you to hide it. It starts on these pink tips of yours-" Thomas leaned down to draw one nipple into his mouth, then the other. "-then moves up this lovely, long neck-" Maura closed her eyes, biting back a groan. "And then that sweet rosy flush covers your cheeks," he purred, hovering over her as he chastely kissed one high cheekbone, and then the other. She could feel his lips pull up in a grin along her skin as the moan she'd been trying to hold down made it's way out her lips. "I told you, I own those sweet noises. You are not allowed to hide them from me."

"Mr. Pine, I mean Thomas- um- damn!" Maura felt another blush rising up her chest. "What am I to call you, then?"

Pushing her down on her back and sliding his lean hips between her legs, he gazed down at her with those blasted, beautiful, penetrating blue eyes. "You call me Sir." His lips fell greedily back on hers as Thomas heard that sweet hitch in her breath. His warm hands started moving restlessly over her, but as his silk-covered crotch started rubbing persuasively against her bare one, Maura moaned painfully before she could stifle it. Pine pulled back with a frown. "Am I hurting you?" His eyes ran over her clinically, then he raised up. "Oh, my poor darling, you're sore, aren't you? And I left you covered in bites and bruises. Not exactly my most honorable moment as a gentleman."

Clutching the sheet to her breasts, she refused to look at the smirking man. "I somehow suspect you are not at all contrite, Sir." The title slipped out without a thought, and Maura cursed herself. 'Go ahead, act like the docile little cow he thinks you are!' She scolded herself.

"Poor thing," he consoled, moving down her body, peppering her with gentle kisses. "I can help you feel better." Maura's exhausted center throbbed painfully when Pine's lips landed on her, but his warm tongue and persuasive suckling on her clit made her sigh and arch her back.

Long fingers holding her still with his grip on her hipbones, Thomas ran his lips and tongue over her lower lips. Maura's was still swollen and red, and he diabolically soothed her with more sucks and kisses, murmuring teasingly. "Such a pretty pussy, darling. So sweet..." When his tongue ran between her hips and darted inside her, Maura's fingers slid into his silky curls, gasping her appreciation. Smoothly sliding one thick finger, then two inside her, Thomas grinned against her delicate, swollen clit as he felt her move against him. Sadistically holding her hips motionless, he continued the soft suckle of lips and tongue against her clit as he lightly rubbed the rough, spongy spot high inside her. 'G Spot,' Maura thought, dazed and half conscious with pleasure. 'Bullshit, there's no such thing, but he's- oh, GOD, he found something inside me and oh!- This is so good. I hate him for doing this to me!' She was alternately aroused and horrified when Pine lifted his face to smile at her, his lips and chin literally dripping with her.

"Don't turn your beautiful green eyes away from me." Thomas ordered, "you will watch me. I own your delicious pussy, and you _will_ see me enjoy it." He darted back down and she moaned again, helplessly. The shaking from his laughter only heightened her arousal until poor Maura literally came against her will, hips desperately trying to move against the hard press of his hands. Listening to her helpless gasps, he grinned and suckled her clit one more time, gently pressing his fingers back against her sensitive walls inside.

"Please, Sir," Maura moaned, "please? It's starting to hurt- oh!- ow, please?"

Reluctantly, Thomas drew his long fingers out of her and gently gave her sore clit one more soft kiss, smiling at her involuntary shudder. "Here, darling, I'm going to give you a bath."

Laying passively in his gigantic white tub while her boss sat on his knees beside her was an utterly surreal experience for Maura. Her sexual experience was admittedly limited- she was slow to trust, and then being recruited by the UN Intelligence Task Force directly out of Cambridge didn't help matters. Maura was too terrified of compromising her hard-won position to be intimate with anyone once she became an intelligence agent. Sir- Thomas, she angrily corrected inside her head, was her first lover in over 4 years. But to have the large hands of a man she knew could use them to garrote, stab, or shoot another human being run gently instead over her was impossible to reconcile with the brutal crime lord who hired her. Closing her eyes, she could feel him gently lift an arm, running a soft sponge over her, or a foot, kissing her toes when he rinsed them. "Here, darling, step out now," his voice roused her from a half-sleep, and Maura obediently raised her arms as he put them around his neck, lifting her from the tub and setting her on the thick white rug. Something twisted inside him as he knelt behind her, gradually drying her soft skin and hair. Thomas lifted her easily to rub lotion on her. But Maura balked, confused as he attempted to put her over his lap. "Shhhh..." he soothed, "I'm just going to make this lovely little pussy less sore, all right?"

"How?" She hated how small her voice sounded.

"I'm going to rub some cream on your sweet kitty. You won't hurt as much as you're healing." Perversely, Thomas's voice sounded so kind. Maura never heard his exquisite British accent without an edge of mockery or cruelty. But try as she might, she could hear nothing but a concern for her comfort. Laying her wet curls and cheek on his thigh, she carefully tried to soften her rigid stance. If she'd been looking up at her boss, Maura would have seen the look of absolute triumph as he watched her trustingly relax against him.

Driving her home was a bizarre experience for the hardened Mr. Pine. He'd actually called off her surveillance, not wanting photos of him kissing her goodbye show up on the radar. Despite her shy protests, Thomas insisted on walking Maura to the door of her little houseboat, giving her a long and delicious kiss. "If you don't feel better tomorrow, you will call Dr. Kennedy and see him immediately." He watched as she flushed and lowered her head. Pushing her gaze back up with a thumb on her chin, Pine stated, "do you understand?" He watched with amusement as his tech genius tried to give him a world-weary expression.

"Of course. But I'm fine," Maura answered.

"I'm fine...?" Thomas relentlessly prompted, enjoying the helpless blush spread over her pale skin.

"I'm fine. _Sir_." She whispered.

Maura walked inside her houseboat's comfortable cabin, sitting gracelessly on her vintage sofa, dropping her head in her hands. 'What the FUCK have I done?' she thought despairingly. This was a terrible development, and she was too honest to deny it. If Hardy and Miles discovered what had happened, they would insist she continue as Tom's whore. The intelligence from lips loosened from an orgasm could be invaluable. Conversely, if her Sir--Mr. Pine, she corrected angrily--wanted to continue seeing her for sex, he'd take an unhealthy interest in everything she did. Maura knew he was too possessive to not make sure she was faithful to him. This would leave her open to dangerous slip-ups under his scrutiny. Her advantage always in her intelligence work was flying under the radar in whatever role she played: either too beautiful and stupid to draw suspicion, or too smart and nerdy. 'Maybe,' she thought, trying to comfort herself, 'maybe this was a one-time thing. Bang the computer nerd and move on?' Ignoring the punch to her gut the thought gave her, Maura tried to see this as the best outcome. Sighing as she limped back to bed, she shook her head. This was a miserable dilemma.

Driving home from dropping off Maura, Thomas found himself actually having to fight his instinct to turn around and bring her back to Notting Hill with him. Pine wasn't a sadist-he knew she was sore and in pain after a night of the roughest sex he'd wager she'd ever had. The delicious agony of having her pussy coil tightly around him was proof Maura wasn't used to his size. But in the past with a lover he'd worked too hard, Thomas still demanded they suck him off if they couldn't accommodate him otherwise. But this morning, seeing the bruises and bites littering her porcelain skin, the cold-hearted Pine instead cared for her, soothing the worst of the injuries before taking her home to heal. "Fuck!" He growled to himself, "she's an _employee_!" Not that he hadn't sampled the vast majority of the female work force at the Corporation, but they were usually operatives or whores and knew exactly what he was after. Hand trailing down to absently rub at his dick, Thomas heard her whisper of "Yes, Sir," again. And again, as he groaned with pleasure.

  


	5. I'll Protect You From Everything But Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet Maura's second senior agent and a visit to the houseboat.

The start of the work week lulled Maura into what she was sure was a false sense of security. Thomas was rarely around, and when he was, he spoke to her with the same detatched indifference he'd always used. That's what made Thursday's sudden invasion into their computer lab even more alarming. Hoult was training some of their support staff in another room, so she was alone when her boss slammed the door open. Pine stormed into the room, it was clear he was furious. "MacLaren," he hissed, "open everything you have on the financials from the Masoud group."

Maura's fingers danced on her keyboard. Pine didn't have the tendency to throw things like Kingston did, but she wasn't taking any chances. Pulling the vast numbers up on her screen, she started scrolling through them. "Tell me what I'm looking for, Sir." 

"A funds transfer, at least twenty million pounds, sometime within the last month. I have to know the recipient." She jumped a little as he slammed his palm on her desk. He watched as her eyes darted back and forth. 

"I've isolated three possible transactions, Sir. All blind recipients."

"That won't do!" He hissed, "Do some of your magic, but get the recipients."

"Yes, Sir..." Maura answered absently. Even as enraged as he was, Pine's unrepentant dick started stirring as her sweet voice called him "Sir." He leaned over her shoulder, his intent gaze trying to find the answer in the lines of code 

Reaching into her drawer and pulling out a disc, Maura inserted it into her hard drive. "First name. Azzar Industries. Eighteen point three million pounds..." Her voice trailed off and she leaned into the code, making an alteration. "I don't think this is what you're looking for. The shipment came from Afghanistan--I'm betting on drugs." 

"Continue, MacLaren." She was relieved to hear his voice resume his calm, low tones.  

"This one's promising, twenty-two million pounds. Shipment delivered to Morocco..."

"The name, MacLaren," he ordered. Looking down the neckline of her loose sweater, he could see the swell of those soft breasts he'd spent so much time on last weekend. Maura was oblivious, biting her lower lip in concentration. 

"That doesn't make sense..." She drifted off again, backing out of that screen and opening another. 

"What doesn't make sense?" Thomas put his face next to hers, and Maura cursed him silently. His warmth and soft exhalations of his breath were distracting, along with that damnably beautiful voice in her ear. 

She shook her head, astonished. "Unless I've made an utterly insane mistake, the buyer is the French Government." Looking to her right, she watched as a slow smile spread across Thomas's face.

"Are you certain, MacLaren?"

"See the sequential numbers here," she pointed at the screen "and here? Those are the Euro codes for the French treasury, converted to pounds sterling...but this makes no sense. I must have made a mistake."

"You didn't," he said shortly, "everything's on that disc?" Maura nodded, pulling it out and handing it to him. Taking it, Thomas looked her over again, that slow, searching scan from bottom to top. He pulled the hideous smoked lens glasses off her nose so they were eye to eye. Looking up at him, her green eyes were wide and questioning, glossy black hair piled up in a sloppy bun. She flinched for a moment as his long, calloused fingers ran over her neck, idly pressing the slim column of her throat between thumb and fingers. "I want you to erase any trace of a search from Masoud's transactions, you won't speak of this to anyone, not even Hoult." She pressed back further into her chair as his grip suddenly tightened. "Is that understood, Maura?"

She licked her suddenly dry lips, staring up at the thin line of his mouth. His grasp on her windpipe was tight, not yet quite cutting off her oxygen, just making it clear it would be easy to do. "Of course, Mr. Pine," she managed.

His grip suddenly loosened, and a smile came over his narrow face. "What do you call me?" Pine's low voice was sin, silky and dripping with intent. He could see the pulse on her neck fluttering rapidly as Maura leaned back from him. He grinned, enjoying the game and following her retreat. "What. Do. You _call_ me, pet?"

 "S- sir-" she began, then gasped as her elbow knocked over a glass, the shards cutting into her forearm. "Bloody hell!" She hissed, holding her arm and grabbing some paper towels to hold the cut closed.

Thomas frowned, taking her arm and putting pressure on the wound. "You need to see Dr. Kennedy." He pulled out the pocket square from his expensive suit and wrapped the linen tightly over the bleeding cut. "Head over there now."

Edging to the door, Maura nodded, "Of course. On my way." She didn't quite scamper down the hall, but her breathing finally returned to normal as she made her way to the doctor's sanctuary. Any organization that got as bloody as theirs needed a full-time physician on staff, and the Big Three used any extra information gleaned from medical exams and treatment to keep a thumb on their employees. "Dr Kennedy?" She carefully shut the office door behind her. "I had a small accident, I don't know if this will need stitches-" The gray-faced, gray haired doctor emerged from his examination room, a cigarette hanging from his thin lips. 

"MacLaren," he intoned, making it sound deeply disapproving. Ushering her into the inner office, Kennedy shut the door. Maura pulled a thumb drive from her pocket and raised her eyebrows. Clicking on a recording of his dry voice droning during an examination, he nodded her to the table. "What do you have?" He took her arm, briskly cleaning off the blood and not-gently poking at the cut.

"Pine came in today in a rage, looking for a transaction from the Masoud Group." She waited while he irrigated the wound and started stitching. "It's to do with a twenty-two million pound transaction for chemical weapons and surface to air missiles to Morocco. Here's the part I don't understand- the buyer, the buyer is French."

His brow furrowed as Miles pulled the needle through her skin. "French who?"

"That's what doesn't make sense, it's the French government." Looking over her shoulder, Maura shifted. "Pine gave me strict orders to wipe anything that looked like a search from Masoud's transaction. I ran the thumb drive before backing out of the system and then cut myself to get an excuse to come here."

If she was waiting for praise, she was mistaken. Miles tied off the last stitch, his lips pursed. "Give me the thumb drive and get back to work, MacLaren." He walked out of the room, lighting a new cigarette and pocketing the precious bit of information. Maura rolled her eyes and put on her own bandage.

 

Getting home that night, Maura headed straight for her shower, piling her curls on top of her head. She still had dried blood caking on her arm and a scum of cigarette smoke on her clothes from Kennedy's office. Scrubbing around the cut, she ran through the transaction records search over and over. She'd been chastised before for trying to connect the dots--"Your job is to find the intel and bring it to me, MacLaren, not to pretend you get the big picture." She mimicked Dr. Kennedy's supercilious voice. But it didn't make sense. Chemical weapons were an utter violation of the Geneva Convention. And who would the French government be supplying with weaponry in Morroco? Why did Thomas suddenly seem pleased? Wrapping a towel around her, Maura walked into the main room, brow wrinkled in thought.

"If you keep frowning like that, it's going to stick."

"Aaaah!" Maura gasped, nearly dropping her towel. "God-DAMNIT Mr. Pine! You have to stop creeping up on me like that!" What are you, half snake?" She was too startled to be afraid of the man seated on her couch.

He chuckled, standing up and absently straightened his jacket. "I came to check on you. Did you need stitches?"

"You could have called," she grumbled, getting out a bottle of water from the fridge with a shaky hand. "You're going to give me a nervous tic."

Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Are we forgetting our manners?"

Maura tightened her towel, "You're the one who broke into _my_ boat," she said churlishly. Pine was in front of her in a second, putting a finger under her chin and lifting it sharply, making her focus on his stern face. 

"Nonetheless. You will address me properly at all times." His beautiful voice was back to cold and indifferent again.

She nodded reluctantly, his hand still on her chin. "Understood."

He leaned in, so close that she could see his dark stubble dotting his cheeks and chin, smell the spicy tones of his aftershave. "Understood, what?" Thomas enunciated.

"Understood...Sir," she managed.

Still crowding her, Pine took the bottle of water out of her hand and pulled her arm up gently, peeling back the bandage to look at her cut. 

"How many stitches?" He asked, his warm fingers sliding over the sensitive skin of her wrist.

"Just five," Maura shrugged, still breathing in his scent and wishing he didn't smell so damned good. Carefully replacing the bandage, Thomas's fingers trailed up her arm, the calloused pads striking little sparks under her skin. Her breath caught as his fingers trailed across her collarbone, gently sliding back and forth, dropping closer to the top of the towel with every pass. "Um, I'm going to...ah...go put something on," she said, clearing her throat.

Pine's other arm snaked around her narrow waist as his azure eyes rose from their close examination of her soft skin to pin her with his gaze. "I don't believe that's necessary, darling." Her dark lashes fluttered as his warm fingertips slid across her breasts, working the towel loose a bit each time. 

"Mr Pine, I can't- please don't ask this of me." His eyes moved back up to hers, turning a frosty blue. 

"How do you address me?" His fingers never stopped moving, swinging back and forth. 

Clenching her slim arms tightly to her chest, Maura's green eyes looked at him in appeal. "You are the head of an international corporate powerhouse," she said, carefully omitting the crime syndicate portion. "I write code. If we have-you know, if we- if we're doing-"

"If I'm fucking you into a thousand orgasms, Miss MacLaren? If I'm pleasuring your exquisite body, if I'm sinking my cock into you all the way to your belly button, is that what you're trying to say?" His fingers still wouldn't stop, pulling a corner of the towel from her clutching fingers, one breast exposed.

"Please don't make me your whore!" Maura's voice was louder than she meant it to be. "You have a hundred of those at your disposal. I don't want to be one of them. Whores don't last in the Corporation!"

He looked so angry that she tried to step away from him before realizing Thomas had been edging her backwards, pinning her against the back of the couch. "That's what you think, then? Being with me makes you a whore?"

"It's what everyone else will think," she managed, thinking of her senior agents. Thomas pushed her on to the couch, pulling her towel away at the same time. Maura gasped as he suddenly covered her naked body with his suited one.

"You think this makes you a target, that your coworkers will think you're fucking your boss for job security. For more money?" His hand covered one breast as his mouth suckled on the other. "Do you think for one second I would allow it?" Maura gasped as he yanked her legs around his hips, pulling down his zipper. She could feel the broad head of his dick against her, stroking back and forth, getting slicker and harder. Suddenly, Thomas thrust himself into her, igniting an embarrassingly loud moan from Maura. Pushing another inch further each time he thrust inside her, he began whispering into her ear in his silkiest, most filthy tone. "You are no whore, darling. But I do own you, body and soul. I made that clear last weekend in my bed, did I not? The delectable pussy I'm currently stretching-" Maura gasped at a particularly hard thrust. "Your exquisite body, that brilliant mind-" Thomas grinned as he felt her already tightening against the drive of his cock inside her. "All of you is mine to do with as I please..." Suddenly angry that she'd called herself a whore for being with him, Pine made Maura yelp as he pounded her ferociously till he could feel her cervix clutching the tip of him. "And I will kill the first man stupid enough to call you a whore. Now..." Thomas pinned her desperate hips with his other hand, spreading his knees to widen hers helplessly. "What do you call me, BabyGirl?"

Her lithe body shook and Maura moaned, not sure whether to scream, come or fight him first. She was jolted out of her dilemma as his hips started knocking against hers ferociously. "What. Do. You. CALL me, Maura?" He punctuated each word with another brutal snap of his hips, driving deeper into her than she knew a man could go. Her eyes opened, shocked as she felt a sharp slap on her ass. Her hips rose instinctively to avoid his hand, driving him deeper into her again. "You will answer me, my sweet slut. Or I will pound you through this couch and walk the halls of the Corporation with you impaled on my cock."

Oh, GOD, she fucking hated this man, Maura thought desperately. His mouth curved into a cruel grin as another sharp slap of his hand on her ass forced a truly wanton moan from her. "Tell Daddy, my angel. What do you call me?"

"Ah!- Sir!" She finally gave in, unable to hold out against the onslaught of Thomas and his lips, tongue and cock. "Sir," Maura moaned, "please let me come!" 

Pine's dark chuckle made her want to cry from frustration as he kissed her ear and whispered, "No. Disobedient girls do not get a reward for being naughty. Show me you're sorry for denying me what's mine."

Maura was long past remembering her responsibilities to her government, past fearing being Pine's whore, not capable of much aside from desperately thinking how she could convince Thomas to allow her to come. Raising her hands above her head and crossing her wrists, she tightened her strong runner's legs around his hips, pushing her hips up on every thrust.

"Sir," she purred, "please let me come with you. Please, my dear Sir?" With a growl torn from his throat, Thomas's self control shattered. 

"Fuck- you may come. Come with me, baby- God!" He bit into her neck and could vaguely taste a coppery haze in his mouth as Maura clenched around him, forcing the come from both of them. 

It was later after their second time in her soft and rumpled bed when he whispered in her ear, thinking she was asleep. "If I were a good man, I would let you go. But I can't.  I'm not a good man. But I'll protect you from everything. Everything but me." 

 

 


	6. I Hate You/I Don't Care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura learns avoidance isn't a good tactic when Thomas wants something.

While Maura had been to Hoult's ridiculously cluttered apartment many times, she'd never invited him to her houseboat. But she found herself grudgingly issuing the invitation the following week- mainly to shut him up, but also with the thought that Thomas wouldn't stop by unannounced if he knew Nicholas was there. And Thomas always knew. Even for someone whose career was surveillance, Maura could never figure out how her lover always knew where she was, as if she'd left him a note on his desk, or a text letting him know she'd be out. Even after scanning everything from her phone to her car for a tracking system, Maura never found a thing. No tails that she could spot. Nothing. But Thomas still showed up as he liked, knowing when she'd be alone.

Leaning back back on her counter, Maura watched Hoult poke around the houseboat, pushing up his glasses as he picked things up and put them down again. Nicholas was invariably tactile- he learned best by handling things, looking them over and seeing how they worked. Much like a toddler, which is why she'd developed a somewhat maternal streak when it came to her bespectacled partner. "It's brilliant," he beamed, "all these little cubbies and hidden spaces." Maura handed him a beer and walked out to the deck, leaning back in her comfortable chair with her feet on the railing. They clinked bottles together in a cheerful toast and just enjoyed the sunshine that somehow forced it's way through the clouds that day.

"Don't you get lonely here, all on your own?"

Hoult had four cats patrolling his apartment and neighbors who dropped by at all hours. Maura occasionally worried that his open door policy would compromise his position at work, until she realized her lab partner simply kept all his calculations in his gifted brain until he entered the doors of the Corporation the next day.

"No," she moved her feet a little on the railing, "it's a small marina, but there's some other live-aboards here. We look after each other." He knew better than to ask about family. When he'd first broached the subject over "getting to know you" beers after her first week at the Corporation, Maura looked at him levelly. "I don't have any. And I don't want to discuss it."

He pondered the label on his beer bottle. "Still, you need something to greet you when you get home."

Maura rolled her eyes. "After some of the days we've had? Good lord, Nicholas! All I want to do is curl up in the fetal position." She wasn't joking, the two had been called into the Boardroom twice that week, dodging pens, drinking glasses, anything that came to Kingston's hand. They'd spent countless hours running scans, trying to see if anything else had been accessed by the traitor who committed "suicide" before the Big Three had their way with him. Because the agent was from another branch of government, Maura had no way of knowing what he could have accessed, so she was just as frustrated with the scans as Hoult was. "Surely the Corporation has had security breaches before..."

He shook his head, finishing his beer at looking hopefully at her bottle. "Nothing of this magnitude. Never someone in the inner circle," Maura sighed, handing over her beer and watching him take a happy swig. "Haven't you noticed that we're getting more and more scrutiny from MI5 and SAS?"

Raising her eyebrows innocently, Maura shrugged. "I guess I haven't been here long enough to see a pattern yet."

Shoving his glasses up again, Nicholas gave a irritated huff. "It wasn't so bad, really when the Corporation was selling gu- ah, doing the earlier business model. But with our move into finance, now they care. Honestly! It's not like half the governments in Europe aren't doing this. They're just cheesed off we're cutting into their take."

Getting up and grabbing another two beers, Maura laughed. "Well, the Americans finally caught Al Capone on tax fraud charges, rather than the murder and bootlegging and such."

"Oh, god can you imagine it-" groaned Hoult. "The mighty Big Three brought down by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs." He shuddered. "They'd blow up half of London before they'd let that happen."

She stiffened. "What? I thought they didn't sell gu- that they no longer practiced the former business model."

Perhaps if Hoult hadn't consumed three beers in short order, perhaps if he hadn't felt so comfortable, sitting in the sun and talking with who he felt was his best friend, he would have been more discreet. Unfortunately, he chuckled. "You have no idea, MacLaren. They're sitting on enough firepower to take over a small country." Nicholas changed the subject, happily discussing a new computer virus he'd created to toy with Amazon.com while Maura sat frozen in shock.

 

Pulling her new burner phone after bundling Hoult into a cab, she called Hardy, biting her thumb in thought. When he picked up, Maura rolled her eyes to hear the slapping of skin and groaning in the background. "This better be fucking important or I'm coming over there and putting my foot up your ass." She made a gagging noise into the phone as the other agent told the complaining female voice, "Hold up. Get a drink or a smoke, I'll be back in you again in no time." She could hear his door shut and the muted noises of the outside night. "You little bitch. You know how long I've been trying to bang Anna in Offshore Banking?"

"Don't want to know, Hardy." She groaned. "God, now I'll never be able to look at that poor woman without wanting to upswallow all over her desk. Look, I've got news and it's scary. Did you know the Big Three are sitting on a gigantic pile of weaponry?" She heard him light a cigarette and take a drag.

"What are we talking here? We know they keep a stash. How much?"

Maura sighed, "The exact phrase I overheard was enough to take over a small country. The other comment was they could blow up half of London."

"Who told you?" Hardy's voice sharpened, as if he knew she was holding back. But Maura couldn't tell him. She couldn't, thinking of Hoult's guileless face and how much Hardy would enjoy tearing him apart.

"I told you, I overheard bits when we got called into the Blood Room today."

"All right," he answered, still smoking thoughtfully. "Is there anything else?"

Maura instantly pictured the luscious image of Thomas yanking her up and impaling her on his lap the night before.

"No."

"Are you sure you didn't hear anything else that would help us?" Hardy prodded.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Maura lied for the first time to another agent. "No, nothing."

"Well, then fuck off. I'm about to go balls deep into Miss Offshore Accounts." Hardy hung up without saying goodbye.

'I should have told him,' Maura thought despairingly. 'What am I doing?'

 

Hard at work the next day, Maura forced all of her doubts and anxieties out of her mind. Getting distracted at Jaguar Holdings was a very bad idea. She and Nicholas were trying out a new stealth tracker for bank accounts when Pine's voice came over her speaker. "MacLaren, to my office, please."

Hoult looked at her and shrugged, "At least it's not the Blood Room." Rolling her eyes, Maura left their office. Her steps became slower and slower as she walked down the executive hallway.

Pine's personal assistant was seated as always, just outside his office as if to physically throw herself across the threshold to bar him from people like the computer geek standing on the expensive carpet. Mandy's kohl-lined eyes ran up and down Maura's gray sweater and loose flowered skirt. She gave a contemptuous sniff and reluctantly said, "Mr Pine is expecting you. You may go in." Maura rolled her eyes, fighting the urge to tell the nasty girl in the too-tight suit that between them, she was the only one who'd seen their boss naked. Thomas had a strict rule about not indulging in his personal assistants, though the last two were "reassigned" after rough sexual encounters with Michael Bender.

Feeling like she was walking into the execution chamber, Maura wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt and opened his door.

"Close the door, MacLaren."

His sonorous voice was calm and impassive, but the cobalt eyes Thomas lifted to her were not. "Come here," he ordered, leaning back in his chair. She attempted to sit in a chair in front of his desk, but Pine shook his head, a smile curving one corner of his mouth. "Over here, pet," he urged, patting one lean thigh. Biting into her pink lower lip, she reluctantly made her way around the desk, he took her hand and pulled her the rest of the way, impatiently seating her on his lap. Absently fingering one silky curl, he gave her a close look. "You had a guest last night," he didn't sound pleased. "I wanted to see you."

Maura shrugged, "Hoult came over for a beer." She tried to ignore one warm palm sliding up her calf and over her thigh, drawing the cotton skirt up with it. Squirming nervously, she urged, "Sir, surely this is a terrible idea. Not here, please."

He continued, eyes watching as each inch of skin was revealed under his hand. "Yes, last night would have been better."

She stiffened, and Thomas felt it, his head tilting up again to study her. "So, I should wait alone at home every night, just on the chance you might want to stop by and use me?" His hand tightened on her thigh. "Just sitting and waiting, like a faithful pet?"

Pine abruptly lifted her off his lap and onto his desk, brows drawn together. "Is there a reason you're trying to make me displeased with you?" Maura looked down stubbornly, refusing to meet his gaze. "If perhaps, you're saucy enough, I might be too angry with you to fuck you here in my office?"

"This is a bad idea!" Maura hissed. "And you know it." She gasped as his fist went under her skirt, grabbing her panties. With a twist, he ripped them off her. "Please, Sir," she moaned. "Please stop."

Suddenly, she was flat on her back as she glared up at Thomas. After taking off her glasses, he slid his hand up her cotton sweater, pushing his broad palm against her chest, holding her in place. "You are not allowed to tell me to stop!" He suddenly bellowed. "You are my pet and I am your Sir!" Pine angrily pushed two fingers into her mouth. "It is in your best interests to make sure these are wet as possible," his voice was as cold as the blue of his eyes. Opening her lips, Maura drew his digits into her mouth, swirling her tongue over them, her tongue tickling the sensitive tips.

"Oh!"

Gritting her teeth, Maura tried not to moan as he shoved the fingers into her, using his thumb to rub her clit. Pine's face was unsympathetic as he gazed down on her. 

"When," he growled, "has behaving badly with me ever worked in your favor?" Her face turned away from him, eyes closed in the humiliation of how fast he could reduce her to a wet and needy pile of mush. His other hand yanked her chin back, forcing her to face him as his fingers worked against her. "How long are you going to require me to show you who you belong to?"

"As long," she hissed, "as it takes you to see I don't want this! You think forcing me to fuck you makes any of this _real_?" She gasped as he put the strength of his shoulder and bicep into the fingers driving inside her. Maura couldn't contain the moan that burst from her throat as Thomas dipped his head to her pussy, angrily taking her soft lips into his mouth and biting down.

"OW! Oh, Sir..." It was as if she was having an out of body experience as she heard herself moan, "please don't stop..." Her fingers slipped through his dark curls.

Finally pulling off just before Maura came, she heard his silken chuckle as he stood, wiping her essence from his face. "You are here, pet, as my distraction, nothing more. Your sole requirement is to beg me to let you come." Opening his trousers and pulling out his generous dick, Thomas impatiently shoved her thighs apart and began roughly pushing inside her. Her back arched almost painfully off the desk, the pleasured moans blending with his grunts of satisfaction. Still angry at her audacity in resisting him, Thomas took her hands, pulling them above her head and tying them to the desk with his silk tie. Idly playing with her pink and desperately stiff nipples, he watched her mouth open with a particularly hard thrust, teeth biting into her plump lower lip. He leaned down, his own teeth pulling her lip free and nibbling on it instead, sliding his tongue inside her mouth, greedily drinking down her gasps.

She felt his warm hands slide over her breasts, alternately squeezing them and pulling on the soft skin, using her globes as handles to pull her down on him. "Oh...Oh, my _God_..." she moaned painfully, putting her face to her own shoulder and biting down, trying to keep anything else from escaping her mouth. 

Feeling his feral grin against her neck, Maura's hands gripped the tie binding them, trying to hold on to something- anything to anchor her as Thomas put her long legs together and over his left shoulder, allowing him deeper into her.

"You pretend you don't want this? Darling, I'm not a rapist. Tell me. Tell me to stop and I will-" his taunting stopped as he felt himself slide through and into her cervix as she tightened around him. 

Maura pushed her hips up desperately against his stomach, not sure if she was trying to lessen the depth of Pine's penetration or encourage it. He took the option away by holding her lean thighs firmly against his chest with one arm, using the fingers of the other to stroke her clit gently. Thomas had learned the hard way that Maura was extremely sensitive- rub too hard on that delicate bundle of nerves and her moans would turn painful and veer away from the orgasm they'd been seeking. He grinned, feeling her pussy coil against his cock in the most delicious, exotic way.

"You're running out of time, pet."

He sounded infuriatingly conversational, as if enthusiastically pounding into Maura's grasping channel required no effort at all. "If you want me to stop, tell me now. Such a shame to 'force you' into another orgasm."

"I hate you!" She hissed.

Moving faster still, Thomas laughed at her. "I don't care," he whispered into her ear, and that sent them both over the edge. He collapsed on top of her, resting his head against Maura's soft breasts. Thomas took her legs off his broad shoulder and wrapped them more comfortably around his waist. They lay in silence, the quiet office disturbed only by their breath returning to normal, in sync with each other. She was suddenly consumed with sadness, wishing this man really cared for her, that they weren't lying together in an office devoted to death and money. The silence was disturbed by a sharp knock on the door.

"Mr Pine," Mandy's nasally voice sounded over his computer speaker, "Mr Kingston and Mr Bender are looking for you, they've asked you meet them in the Boardroom."

"Tell them I'll be there shortly," he replied, and shut off the speaker again. Thomas stood up, disengaging himself from her. He quickly untied Maura, rubbing her hands and fingers. To her extreme embarrassment, he pulled a square of linen from his jacket and wiped the wetness of the two of them from her center. His keen gaze looked up to see the flush creeping up her neck, and grinned at her wickedly, laughing out loud as she blushed even darker. Pine helped her off his desk and set her clothes to rights. As he tried to look down enough to tie his wrinkled strand of silk again, she moved his hands away, smoothing the material and tying an elegant Windsor knot. For a moment, they stared at each other, both off-balance from the little moment of intimacy. Clenching her hands, Maura walked out after Pine, ignoring Mandy's angry expression. Trying to veer off from him as the hall split in two directions, she was intercepted by Nicholas and a few other support people. 

"They need us in the Boardroom," Hoult said carefully, aware that one of the Big Three was hovering just over his lab partner's shoulder. None of them were invited to sit when the meeting started, so Maura and Nicholas leaned against the back wall, trying to listen while attempting to be as invisible as possible.

"Tonight's meeting with the Saudis requires support staff back here," Kingston said, going through some papers. Rapidly assigning employees off the various responsibilities, he dismissed them from the room. "Hoult and MacLaren, I'll need you ready to check bank accounts to make sure the numbers are correct."

Thomas spoke, hand idly scrolling through his iPad. "MacLaren's running a defense program tonight. Hoult, you can handle this, correct?"

Nicholas nodded rapidly, glasses sliding down his nose. "Of course, it's a one man job at the busiest of times."

Kingston shrugged, "You're both excused, then."

They both went for the door, walking briskly, not quite bolting, but close. With a spark in her chest, Maura realized Thomas remembered tonight was her self-defense class. He'd actually excused her from a high-end transaction, just to let her fulfill a promise to her girls. Shoving down the sudden spurt of warmth, she followed Hoult back to their office, a gentle trickle of liquid from her coupling on the desk with Pine beginning to edge down her thigh.


	7. Deja Vu All Over Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura learns there are far more dangerous things than the attentions of Thomas.

Maura was wildly conflicted over the next day, alternately touched that Thomas remembered something so small -to him- as her class, and then infuriated that he could seduce her so easily. In his _office_ , no less- like she was just one of the Corporation's prostitutes. Sighing, she ran her hand through her already messy ponytail, trying to finish the latest security scan. Suddenly spotting an anomaly in the code, Maura paused the system and watched it. There was a ten million pound payment from the Corporation to the Masoud Group. Her brow wrinkled. But, Thomas was so furious when he'd had her dig up that transaction, now the Corporation was doing business? The standard company protocol for Jaguar Holdings was to simply destroy anyone who crossed them. Why were they all buddy-buddy with a syndicate who could make her boss that angry? Inputting a small echo file, Maura carefully backed out of the transaction, erasing any trail of an inquiry. But the echo file would continue to follow the transaction and alert her if anything new entered the system. "What are you up to tonight?" Nicholas was finishing the last of his scan as he gathered up his backpack and jacket. 

She carefully shrugged. "Eh. Not sure yet. But given this week? Probably an hour in my shower weeping softly, followed by a bottle of wine." 

Laughing, he shook his head. "Won't you come out with us? C'mon, everyone's starting to think you don't like them." Maura's fingers stilled on the keyboard. Making enemies at a place like the Corporation was suicidal. But, she'd promised the girls from her class another dancing night.

"Next time, I promise," she forced a smile. "I do miss pub night. Please let everyone know, won't you?"

"Brilliant," he nodded. "Have a good weekend. If you get bored, call me and we'll hack Netflix and watch the new stuff they're not releasing till next month." 

Laughing, Maura called after him, "It's seven pounds a month, you git! You're so cheap!"

"It's the principal of the thing, MacLaren!" Hoult's voice trailed away.

 

Poking through her dresses at home, Maura wondered what Thomas was up to this evening. She hadn't seen him at work, the Big Three in conference all morning about the Saudi meeting and something big simmering for tonight. Her brow furrowed as she went through her makeup, curling her hair and slipping on a pale green dress that matched her eyes, along with the only pair of high heels she owned. "Why was the Corporation doing business with Masoud?" There wasn't anything, really, that she could report to Kennedy or Hardy. But the transaction kept circling the back of her mind, an insistent little itch. 

Maura deliberately picked a club in a funkier part of London for tonight, more industrial and underground. She wanted to make sure to avoid both her co-workers and maybe make it a tad more difficult for Pine to track her down. As she and the girls entered the vast warehouse space, Maura couldn't help grinning at the thought of her lover in his £3,000 bespoke suit in a place like this. It took her little hen party less than a drink to bravely venture out on to the floor, and she beamed with pride. They were building back the confidence ripped from them by the cruel hands of men who were supposed to protect them. Trying to balance between keeping an eye on everyone and allowing herself that precious moment of invisibility within the music, Maura closed her eyes and smiled. It was going to be a wonderful night.

Thomas was tapping his fingers impatiently on the table as he looked down into the writhing crowd. He preferred a higher-end club with more comfort, but their guests from Algeria were looking forward to some of that western decadence they always enjoyed when visiting England. His tapping stopped abruptly when his gaze landed on Maura, in the middle of the crowd, arms over her head and swaying blissfully. Her movements were rapturous, graceful, sensual and completely free from any of the self-consciousness that ruled her every day at the Corporation. And here she was, shining like some goddamn exotic spotlight in front of the Big Three and their lecherous guests. "Excuse me," he said, rising abruptly. Striding down the stairs from the private VIP area, Thomas scanned the floor, looking for Maura with the intent of getting her out of there as fast as possible.

It was a terrible form of deja vu as a hand angrily tapped her shoulder, Maura whirling with a gasp to once again see the furious visage of her boss and lover. "How DO you find me?" She hissed, "Did you implant a sensor under my skin or something, because _really_ -" 

Irritably noting she was with her little flock of girls again, Thomas bent his dark head to hers. "We're here with the Algerian group. You have to leave. _Now_."

The blood drained from her face instantly, leaving her sheet-white and swaying a bit. "Oh, nonono...nono...oh God, are Mr. Kingston and Mr. Bender with you?" He instinctively steadied her, looking down into her pale face.

"Yes. That's why you need to take your girls and go. Now."

"Of course, agreed. Thank you, Thomas!" She whispered with a sudden burst of gratitude to the man in front of her, nothing but genuine concern for her on his handsome face. "Girls, we have to get out of here, no questions, please just- just come with me, okay?" Confused but agreeable, her flock followed her off the floor.

"Is that MacLaren?" Kingston's brow was furrowed. The beautiful girl resembled their computer genius, but it must be a twin. MacLaren was sloppy and shy. This Amazon in a sexy dress was walking purposefully off the floor, her wild mane of black curls bouncing around her waist. 

Bender leaned in to see what his partner was looking at. A cruel grin spread over his jaw as he spotted Maura. "I do believe it is. I'll just have her come up and say hello, shall I?" He was already heading down the stairs as Kingston shrugged, turning again to speak to their guests. Thomas worked quickly; he already had cabs for the group and paid the drivers. One of the girls stopped just as she was about to enter the cab. "Bloody hell! Maura, I left my purse at the table, I'll just run in and get it-"

"No!" Exclaimed both Maura and Thomas, who held up his hand to her as he started walking back to the club. "You all stay put here. I'll get it."

Maura paced the curb, anxiously waiting for her boss to return. "This is the second time your boss showed up and cut the night short," teased Caroline, one of the older girls. "Anything you want to tell us, love?" They all giggled as Maura rolled her eyes. 

"Very funny, ladies. I am sorry about tonight, I'm turning out to be a terrible tour guide for fun, aren't I? I'll make it up-" She stopped as she watched the tall form of the third in command at the Corporation heading decisively in her direction. 'Fuck, Bender...' she thought in horror, picturing the sadistic bastard getting near these girls. Shoving an extra twenty pounds at the driver, she said "Go. NOW." Watching them pull out, Maura turned to see Bender directly behind her, so close that his chest was nearly touching hers.

"MacLaren." He grinned, "Look at you, all grown up."

Taking a step back, she stared levelly back at him. No showing fear to this bastard, or he'd eat her alive. "Mr Bender," she nodded politely. "I was just on my way out," she gestured to the waiting line of cabs, "so, I'll just bid you a good night, and-"

"Not at all, dear," he said in a horribly jovial tone. Taking her upper arm firmly, Michael turned her around, marching her back into the club. "We've just found you. Can't let you leave without a drink!"

"I have to leave, Mr Bender!" She insisted, "I have friends waiting for me at another club!" He ignored her, continuing to drag Maura through the door.

Thomas stepped in front of them, hands in pockets and staring at them impassively. "What are _you_ doing here, MacLaren?"

"I- I was just leaving, actually. Mr Bender is insisting I come up for a drink, but I really must-"

"Yes, she must." Interrupted Michael, hand tightening on her arm to the point of pain. "Mustn't she, Pine?"

Azure eyes looking at her pale   green ones, Thomas shrugged. "Why not? MacLaren, come along." She tried to step forward, but was yanked back by Michael's iron grip on her. Pine's eyes looked down at his partner's grip on her arm, then up at Michael's taunting expression. "No need to drag her, Bender. People are staring." And they were, club goers and bouncers passing by, eyeing the strange confrontation between the three.

Michael chuckled, releasing Maura and showing her the way to the VIP area with a dramatic sweep of his arm. Once at the large table, Bender said, "Minkie, go sit by our  guests, there's a darling. Gentleman, this is one of our employees, Maura. You sit by me, love."

Numbly watching the angry Minkie sullenly move to sit next to the wandering hands of the visiting Algerians, Maura refused to look to Thomas for help. Sitting down as Michael directed, she carefully crossed her legs, smoothing her skirt down to cover most of her thighs. One of the businessmen was leering at her cleavage, openly licking his lips. 'They think I'm another one of the whores,' she thought, trying to pull her hemline down again. Thomas gracefully moved across the table to his former spot, next to a platinum blonde with magnificent breasts. He put his arm around Platinum and looked down at her. "Order us some more drinks, would you?"

Michael looked down to a stiff and silent Maura. "What would you like, darling?" He was in heaven. Not only did Pine's Plain Jane employee turn out to be completely stunning, but he could seduce her right in front of her boss. This was turning out to be quite the evening after all.

"I'm parched from dancing, just a bottle of water, please," she replied calmly, refusing to let him see how much he terrified her. Platinum gave her a narrow glare and walked over to the bar with the rest of the drink orders.

"You never told us how many beautiful women you had under your employ, Kingston." The deep voice from one of the Algerian businessmen broke her concentration. He was huge, taller than the other men and wearing an equally expensive suit. He nodded his head to Maura.

Kingston shrugged, "MacLaren here is actually one of our computer geniuses Mr. Nezzar," he noted the greedy expression on his guest's face. "But isn't she lovely?"

Thomas leaned in, smoothly changing the subject to the last time the man were in town, starting a story that included a brothel, a wayward limousine and too much champagne. Everyone was laughing by the end, except for Maura, who managed a polite smile. She'd been watching her lover and Platinum sit together from the corner of her eye, angry with herself for the powerful surge of jealousy when the blonde ran her long nails down Pine's muscled thigh. 'Really?' She scolded herself, 'just yesterday you were telling him how much you hated him. Remember who you _really_ work for?' Suddenly, everyone was rising to their feet, with the exception of Kingston, a couple of their guests and some bodyguards. Michael grinned at her discomfort. "Come MacLaren, we're taking our guests down to dance."

"Sounds lovely," Maura replied, pushing some curls behind one ear with the hand the sadistic third in command was trying to grab. Walking to the stairs, they stepped aside for another Algerian guest who'd clearly made a cocaine pit stop. Accompanying him was Hardy with a look of boredom on his handsome face. His expression didn't change when he spotted Maura being dragged down the stairs, but his brown eyes narrowed. The next thirty minutes were some of the most unpleasant of Maura's life. 'And that's saying something,' she thought bitterly, remembering the gunshot wound in her thigh from her first mission, and the 350 pound naked drug lord she was required to guard on her second. Maura's natural grace came in handy, spinning and dipping to avoid the hands of the drunken Algerians and the sharp pinching ones of Michael. She angrily refused to look to Thomas for help, though she knew he was watching her.

Finally frustrated by the British girl's dodges, one of their guests drunkenly grabbed Maura by the waist, grinding his pelvis hard into her and trying to find her lips with his wet, rubbery ones. "Come now, whore, time to earn your pay-" To an outsider, it simply looked like MacLaren's heel broke as she stumbled awkwardly, driving the spike heel of the other shoe into the sensitive top of the Algerian's foot.

"Agh! Sharmuta!"

His hand raised to slap her, and suddenly Thomas was between them, smoothly deflecting the man. 

"Now, Abbas, no need to make a scene. Flower, why don't you and Dot take our guest back upstairs?" 'Flower,' Maura noted, was Pine's date and not happy about being sloughed off. Fixing Maura with a displeased eye, Thomas said coldly, "You've done enough damage for one night, MacLaren. You must leave now while I go tend to Mr Abbas and his crushed instep."

"I agree," Michael chimed in smoothly. "I'll take her." 

'I'll stab you first, you bastard,' thought Maura wildly. Even though she obviously didn't hang around the Corporation's brothel, every employee knew what happened to a girl when the third in command took her home. 

Thomas fixed his partner with his most contemptuous glare. "Really? You're going to leave our important guests to drop off an _employee_?" Michael flushed at the ridicule and Thomas finished smoothly, "Oh, you, Hardy. Put MacLaren in a cab, we still have a great deal to do tonight." Without  looking at her again, he and Michael went back to the rest of their group. 

"What the fuck are you _doing_ here?" Hardy was livid.

"Not my choice, Hardy!" She gritted  her teeth, "I was here with some girlfriends and Bender caught me. He wouldn't let me leave."

He hailed a cab for her. "Did you at least learn anything useful?"

Her shoulders slumped. "Not unless you count that Third In Command is a vicious, pinching bastard, no."

Staring out the window, Maura couldn't help wondering if Thomas would fuck Platinum (what was her name? Flower?) tonight. This set off a tsunami of anxiety within her that she tried to disguise as concern for her health. Would he wear a condom? He'd never worn one with her, never asked if she was clean or on birth control- but based on his almost supernatural ability to find her any time he liked, Maura shrewdly guessed he knew she'd passed her physical at the Corporation with flying colors and had a twice-yearly contraceptive shot. Knowing the man as she did, there was no doubt in MacLaren's mind about whether he'd recklessly put his sexual health at risk. But the thought of him inside that revolting bleached blonde named Flower upset her more than the alarming look of arousal and appreciation she saw in Michael's grey eyes tonight, even though she knew that could only mean trouble. Frustrated and exhausted by the thoughts swirling through her brain, Maura double checked the locks, showered, and dropped into bed.

 

Early that morning, she jolted awake to the unmistakable rustling that meant someone was inside the houseboat. Visions of Bender coming for her filled her foggy brain, and she pulled a wickedly sharp blade from between the mattress and box spring. As the door to her bedroom opened, Maura swung viciously, only to jerk the swing to the left as an arm shot up to block the knife.

"Thomas!" She gasped, horrified, "I-I thought it was- oh, bloody hell, your arm!" Blood was trickling from a tear in Pine's impeccable jacket where the knife had nicked him. Not even seeming to notice, he took her face in his hands, restlessly searching her face, then running those big, warm palms over her neck and chest, running down her arms. Going to his knees, Pine examined her legs. 

"Did he hurt you?"

His voice was guttural, angry. I'm Maura shook her head, confused if he meant the Algerian or Michael. "No. No, I'm fine Thomas."

Her cold and impersonal boss heaved a sigh of relief, burying his face into her smooth tummy. Without thinking, Maura's hands rose to rub through his silky curls, stroking them gently.

"I'm fine. Truly." 

Suddenly, his energy changed and Thomas pressed his patrician nose to her panties, breathing in deeply, growling low in his throat. 'Oh, my God,' she thought feverishly, 'is he _sniffing_ me?'

Pine couldn't explain himself if he tried, but his hands kept a death grip on Maura's slim hips as he scented her, as if trying to tell if another man mounted what was his. Thomas had never felt so feral before, but the rage of watching her in peril between his twisted partner and those soused arseholes made him half insane. And again, just as in the boardroom as she was beaten, she refused to look to him for help, as if she'd been taught in life that none would be coming. 

Standing up again, his hands rose to cup her face, kissing her over and over, savoring her sweet tongue and full lips. Astonished, Maura allowed him to kiss her, his strange desperation was clear. And when he yanked his trousers open and pulled aside her silk slip, she wrapped one long leg around his hips to open herself to him. Thomas actually moaned as he slid into her, his relief at finding her alone and unharmed rendering him speechless. It must have hurt as he desperately pushed inside her with no preparation, but his lover wrapped her arms around his shoulders, silent except for a gasp when he finally hit the top of inside of her. They moved together feverishly, desperately trying to hold off the end but unable to, stiffening in pleasure with each other, barely breathing as he sent spurt after spurt of heat inside her. Picking her up, Pine carried her to the bed, putting her down carefully before pulling himself from inside her. Maura's eyes suddenly widened to see a stain of red across her chest and arms. "Thomas! You're bleeding! Let me bandage the cut..."

Her boss and lover ignored her, carefully smearing the come from them both across her soft lower lips and thighs, rubbing it in as if to mark his scent on her for good.

Sharmuta: Arabic for whore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little concerned that Maura's unveiling to the rest of the Corporation is a little too much like a teen film where "shy high school girl takes off her glasses and is suddenly beautiful." I think how we present ourselves cements an image in the minds of those around us, just as much as our appearance. So I hope it's believable.


	8. Darling, You're Cranky. Go To Bed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we find that even the most clever of intelligence agents can have a meltdown.

It was strange waking up the next morning, half under her boss as he slept, arm and leg thrown over her and pinning Maura to the mattress. Studying him, she was struck with how beautiful Thomas was. The morning sun filtered over his high cheekbones and surprisingly thick lashes, his mouth slightly open in sleep. It was a rare moment to simply appreciate him before Pine woke up and she'd have to armor up again in her role. For a few precious minutes, Maura thought sadly, she just got lie in bed with a man she wished she was allowed to love. As always, his eyes opened abruptly, instantly awake. His gaze was a dark cobalt this morning, the color she was beginning to associate with relaxed on Thomas. "Good morning...?" she said cautiously.

"Was that a question mark at the end of your greeting?" He said, rolling over and rubbing his eyes.

"You tell me," Maura said, sitting up and stretching. It felt odd to have him in her bed- Pine never stayed the night when he came to her, though he insisted she stay over when he brought her to his house.

"Other than being stabbed by a certain hellcat last night, everything feels good," he said with an ironic smirk. "Why on earth are you sleeping with that butcher knife under the bed?"

"It's not under the bed, it's between the mattress and box spring," Maura said, daringly rolling on top of him and sitting up to straddle his hips over what felt like a nice case of morning wood. "Easier to get to."

Thomas settled her with one hand on her hip, his other going under the pillow to prop his head up. "And you've found use for said knife before?"

Shaking her head, Maura dared a little smile. "Other than last night? No. But you wouldn't believe the people I work for. It's always best to be prepared."

"Really," he mused, beginning to move his hips in that enticing way that was so difficult to resist. "Your boss, a real bastard then?"

She felt a giddy rush for a moment, Thomas was never this playful. "The worst. A slavedriver, really. Always on me about one thing or another."

" _On_ you?" His trademark smirk was back.

"Terrible," she agreed, "it sometimes feels like a 24/7 position."

Thomas' brow furrowed in amusement. "24/7? Hmmm...I'd like to try that position..." His hand pulled down the strap of her slip, gently playing with one pink nipple as his hips rotated upwards. Pulling aside her undies, he slipped himself into her.

 

It was difficult to concentrate that day after Thomas left her with a lingering kiss. Maura ran eight miles, ignoring the ache between her legs, tidied the little cabin of her boat. Looking in her mirror, she lectured herself. "You are acting like this is a romance. This is a job. Nothing else. And you are not this person." Feeling deflated after her self-lecture, Maura went about her day. Her concentration was shattered by the muted buzz of the burner phone.

"Hardy?"

"Tell me again about the French transaction," he ordered.

"Pine came into the office, very angry about a transation from the Masoud group. I tracked a twenty million pound transaction for a shipment heading for Morocco. The buyer- at least according to the heavily-secured Euro codes- was the French government."

"Didn't something happen this last week?" Maura could hear him pacing, heavy footsteps going back and forth.

"I put an echo file on a weird payment from the Corporation to Masoud- ten million pounds, exactly half the payment from the French Government. No inventory attached. I've been waiting to see if the echo file alerts me to something more." She started pacing herself, unconsciously imitating the senior agent.

"I just heard some weird chatter about a shipment highjacked by the Corporation. They dumped something overboard, and moved the rest. According to the drunk assholes discussing it, they'd intercepted the ship just before it entered Morroccan waters." Hardy grunted as he threw himself onto his couch, opening a bottle of beer. "Sound familiar?"

"It's too close to be coincidence," agreed Maura. "Any word on what the shipment was? And why would the Corporation dump part of it?"

"Not sure," he sighed, rubbing his eyes, "so you need to poke around."

"If the Corporation paid ten million to Masoud, we're obviously doing business. But why highjack something you're going to pay for?"

"Why are you asking me?" Hardy said irritably, "you're supposed to be the fucking smart one, remember? So try to rub all those brain cells together and get me some answers." As always, the American hung up on her before Maura could make a retort.

"Arsehole," she mumbled crossly, returning the burner to it's hiding place. But just two hours later, she'd be hanging up again with the same utterance. 

 

The burner phone buzzed again as Maura was preparing dinner. She'd wandered through the farmer's market to find the nice Japanese couple who ran the fish stand- they'd saved her some beautiful salmon. Torn from her speculation on a marinade, she picked up immediately, frowning. Kennedy never called her.

"Miles?" 

"You have a tracker on the Masoud account?" 

'Well, hello to you, too.' She thought, rolling her eyes. "Yes, it's called an echo file. It alerts me if there's a change to the transaction."

Maura listened as he sucked in a lungful of smoke- 'what was it with senior agents and chain smoking?' She thought, 'maybe they figure they've cheated death enough.' Her attention snapped back when he spoke again.

"I need you to go back in and leave a trail so the tracker can be found." Kennedy said.

Jaw dropping, she shook her head. "Miles- wait. That's incredibly dangerous. It could blow our cover. It wouldn't take much for Hoult follow the code back to me."

Huffing as if she was wasting his time, Kennedy snarled, "This is your order from HQ and you will do it! They're trying to prod the Big Three and see if they can shake something loose. This mission is creeping up on nearly a year and a half, and I'm tired of treating gunshot wounds and sitting in that shitty office! Now do your job!"

Hanging up after hearing the dial tone, Maura muttered, "Arsehole..." 

Her appetite ruined, she decided instead to go for another run. Maura was so angry and keyed up that she couldn't think. Her senior agents on this mission had little to no understanding of computers- much less how to delicately manipulate code. Going back in the Corporation's accounts to leave a fingerprint was nearly suicidal- at the least, it would send alarms clanging all over the system. Why was HQ suddenly so impatient? This was the part of intelligence work that made her want to run screaming and find something in the private sector. The sheer powerlessness of depending on her higher-ups in a blind placement was both infuriating and terrifying. Maybe two people at the UN even knew she was alive, much less placed here in the Corporation doing the Queen's work. 'What did they call it?' She thought bitterly, 'Oh, yes. Plausible Deniability. A government can't be held responsible for an intelligence mission they knew nothing about, right?'

In reality, Maura could be earning ten times what she made from intelligence work. Risking her life, no friends, no family, and for what? She stopped running suddenly, pressing a hand hard into the knot twisting her ribs. Because she had a debt to pay. And by God, she would pay it. 

 

Marching into work Monday in a shapeless cotton dress and ankle boots, Maura was a little early and alone in the computer lab, going through her movements in precise detail. She ran back through her echo tracker on the Masoud-Jaguar transaction, adding the fingerprint Kennedy ordered. But Maura created a link back that would crash the file before leaving a footprint anyone could follow. There was a way to follow orders without being shot, after all. 

It took less than an hour before the alerts started, then the angry calls into the Blood Room. Maura stood beside Nicholas, head down as he frantically explained that R&D had no idea what set the system off. Looking up and away from Thomas as usual, her glance around the room hesitated for a moment on the Third In Command. Bender was staring at her, with a gloating smile he couldn't suppress. Refusing to shudder, she looked away. She and Hoult worked till midnight, trying to trace the fingerprint. Pine and Kingston showed up around eleven, demanding a progress report. "Sirs- I can't explain. I know the code was corrupted. I can't tell you how- yet!" He added frantically, seeing the dire expression on the First In Command.

Pine's stern gaze went to Maura. "And you, MacLaren? What can you tell us?" Exhausted, she could barely meet the icy blue glare. 

"We know the file accessed, a Mamoud/Jaguar transaction for ten million pounds. There's an echo file inserted into the transaction code, meant to alert the hacker in case of updates. There haven't been, so any further activity by the Corporation remains secure. But every time we try to trace the fingerprint, the system tries to crash, so we've had to spend six hours just bolstering the banking files so they won't disappear on us." She pulled off the ugly smoked glasses, rubbing between her eyebrows. The pale vulnerability of her green eyes pulled Thomas out of his rage. 

"So," he inquired calmly, "they can't access anything else in our systems, correct?"

"No Sir," Maura replied sleepily.

"And there's no breach anywhere else- no echo tracker on any other financial files, am I right, Hoult?" Growled Kingston, taking an angry sip of scotch.

"Nothing," Hoult replied gratefully.

"How long will the final security scan take?"

"About 45 minutes, sir."

"Very well," Thomas replied indifferently. "Finish your work and go home. Be ready to give us a report tomorrow on what you've found."

Walking out to the parking lot, Maura could barely keep her eyes open. Between devising the new, crash-able trigger and her anxiety, she hadn't slept for 48 hours. She barely suppressed a groan as Bender strolled out beside her Land Rover. "You look exhausted," he soothed in a horridly unsympathetic tone. "Let me drive you home, kitten."

"No thank you, Mr. Bender. I'm perfectly capable of driving myself. I wouldn't dream of putting you out." Maura answered.

He gave a soft, hateful chuckle. "Come, now Maura. No need to play games. We know what a pretty little kitten you are. I'll take you home and...ah...tuck you in."

Her eyes narrowed, automatically searching for escape points as Bender grinned, leaning closer still.

"MacLaren? What the hell are you still doing here?"

The irritated voice of the Second In Command had never been more welcome. Thomas strolled up behind them, expensive briefcase in hand and trailed by two bodyguards.

"Just saying goodnight to Mr. Bender, here," she replied levelly. "I'll be back by nine, if not sooner, Mr Pine."

His gaze never found her, staring instead at his partner. "See that you do, MacLaren." She gladly escaped under the cover of the staring contest between the two powers of the Corporation.

Nonetheless, she was absolutely confounded to see Thomas had still made it to the marina before her. Looking resentfully at the Jaguar parked in her spot, Maura parked in a visitor's space, hoping she didn't get towed tomorrow.  He was opening the door to the houseboat cabin with a key as she walked down the dock, which enraged Maura even more.

"You have a _key_?" She hissed. "Really? How dare you?"

His brow furrowed. No one had _ever_ questioned his unspoken right to access anywhere he pleased. Angrily moving ahead of him and into the comfort of her houseboat, Thomas followed her, shutting the door. She headed for the fridge and her half-finished bottle of Riesling. Before she could get the wine glass to her lips, her boss took it from her and drank a healthy gulp first before giving it back. Maura smirked slightly. 'Nice to know I'm not the only one unsettled by this shitty day,' she thought spitefully.

"Why were you out in the parking lot, talking to Bender of all people?"

His cold voice broke her out of the moment of relaxation. Suddenly and unreasonably bitter, Maura snapped, "Because the fucking perv cornered me, of course. Do you think I'd seek out an abusive prick like your partner on my own?"

To say Pine was shocked was an understatement. Never, not _ever_ had a woman sassed him since he'd risen the bloody ranks of the Corporation. "Are you mad?" He growled, "who the fuck do you think you are?" He watched as his lover wandered through the main cabin, stripping off coat, shoes and purse in a daze of exhaustion. 

"Your employee who spent the day plugging the latest leak from the Corporation's house of horrors," she snarled. An exhausted giggle escaped her. "Or House of Whores, when the definition fits. And how is dear Flower, Mr. Pine?"

His eyes went from confused azure to frosty blue within seconds. "Shut. UP, Maura! I don't think you realize how much trouble our department is facing-this is the second major security breach in four weeks!"

Maura laughed, knowing she was only making it worse for herself but was somehow not able to care. "No, Thomas, there's trouble facing Nicholas and me! You'll be free to carry on and murder as many people as you like-" Her angry rant was cut off abruptly as he furiously grabbed her upper arms and pushed her against the door, leaning over her menacingly. Her laugh cut off abruptly, but his lover refused to take her eyes from his. "Not to worry, Boss..." her angry hiss was sibilant. "No one's expecting _you_ to save us. Carry on."

The grip around her upper arms turned painful, but Maura wouldn't look away. She watched as Thomas' jaw clenched in rage, teeth gritting 'till she was sure a molar would crack. "Darling," he managed, "you're cranky. Go to bed."

Maura refused to react, even when Pine angrily slammed the door, his furious footsteps pounding up the dock. When her keen ears heard the whine of the Jaguar starting up, she slid down the wooden door and cried, arms wrapped around herself in the parody of a hug that someone who loved her would offer.

 


	9. You're Compromised

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura discovers how Thomas handles hurt feelings. Which is to say, badly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I've lost most of the feeling in my left hand from typing this monster. I just couldn't find a logical place to separate the narrative. As always, thanks for reading.

Maura woke up the next morning with a mild hangover and a huge feeling of foreboding. She'd yelled at Thomas. Oh, God. She'd sworn, screamed and sassed at Thomas. Her _boss_. The man behind a multi-million dollar crime empire. Putting her forehead against her steering wheel, Maura wondered if she'd be shot before she even got into the building. Gathering her courage, she headed into the office where Hoult was already perched like a depressed vulture over a bank of monitors, tapping on his keyboard.

"What do we know?" Maura asked, handing him a fresh cup of tea.

Nicholas took a gulp of the steaming drink, barely even noticing he'd just burned his mouth. "The Big Three demanded we move another forty-eight million to nearly a dozen offshore accounts. They think dispersing funds will make these transactions harder to track."

Taking a sip of her own tea, Maura's brow wrinkled. "What transactions?" Leaning over his shoulder, she was stunned to see three different payments from the French account she'd tracked earlier and two Algerian contacts, over sixty million pounds total to the Corporation. "What the- Wow, Nicholas. This is one hell of a lot of money to move around right now."

"You think?" He groaned, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "Will you take over on the Cayman Island accounts? We need to fit at least twenty million pounds through those."

"Sure," Maura sat, pulling up her multiple screens. As her fingers flew over the keys, she ventured "I've never seen the Corporation take in this much money at once. And from just three sources?"

"This is just the beginning," groaned Hoult. "Kingston told me to get with the Offshore Accounts Division, we need to create at least 20 new untracable accounts within the next 48 hours."

"Twenty?" Maura gasped, "We'll never be able to create the safeguards for that many accounts in two days!"

Absently sucking down another blistering mouthful of his tea, Hoult shook his head. "Yes we will..."

"...if we like breathing." Finished Maura. Somehow, their little inside joke didn't seem as amusing this morning. "Why so much?" She mused, still rapidly opening screens and adding new elements. "There must be a huge deal in the works for something of this magnitude."

"Definitely something to do with the Algerians in town last weekend," agreed Hoult. "They'll be back for whatever's happening two days from now."

Scooting her rolling office chair to his, Maura pointed to something on one of the monitors. "Are you using this code? If not, I need it."

"Take it," he said, still blearily adding digits to another account shell he was creating.

"I don't get it, though." Maura's voice was deceptively casual. "Algeria's such a poor country. Really, there's nothing there. Where are they getting all these millions and millions of pounds? This is the last place I can imagine shifting money."

Hoult shrugged. "They've got something. Because this isn't laundering money from somewhere else. Hey, can you head down to Offshore Accounts and get me their codes folder? I'm going to have to create something different for them."

"Sure," Maura got up, stretching.

"Um, say 'hi' to Anna for me, would you?" Nicholas wouldn't look at her, but Maura could see the flush creeping up his cheeks.

She suppressed a shudder, remembering her phone call with Hardy announcing he was about to go "balls-deep" in Hoult's crush. "Erm, certainly."

 

Running into Hardy emerging from Anne's office with a smirk and zipping his fly was truly adding insult to injury, Maura thought as she rolled her eyes. "Really?" She hissed, " _here_? You're remembering Bender shot one of his guards when he caught him with simply a _beer_ , correct?"

"Stop acting like such a goddamned virgin, MacLaren," he grinned. "That's Hoult's job." 

"We really need to talk," she lowered her voice. "There's sixty million pounds worth of trouble from the Algerians. Did you overhear anything while you were guarding that party last weekend?"

He pursed his full mouth, "Naw, they were 100% focused on booze and fucking. Use the burner as soon as you can."

Her return to her office was worse, as Maura ran into a terrfied Hoult, who seized her arm and dragged her along with him.

"Back to the Blood Room?" she asked asked sadly.

"Got it in one," Nicholas said mournfully. He brightened suddenly as he asked, "did you, er, say 'hi' to Anne for me?"

"She was...occupied, sorry."

 

Once pinned under a barrage of questions from The Big Three in the Boardroom, Maura as usual refused to look at Pine. But this time, it was due to a combination of absolute horror that she'd allowed herself to become unhinged in front of him last night, and equal parts fear of what she might see in those cold  eyes. Was he going to have her killed? Do it himself? A half-filled mug of tea nailed her in the shoulder, and Maura came back to the present, furious with herself for not keeping her attention on a life and death meeting and failing to duck Kingston's missile. 'At least the tea is cold,' she consoled herself.

"Yes, Mr. Kingston, we feel confident we've swept the system clear--there's no other echo files, no trackers on any accounts. We should have all the new funds moved into protected offshore lines by Wednesday." The meeting dragged on, Maura trying to wipe tea off her arm with the wet sleeve of her sweater and ignoring the leering smile from Bender and the indifferent stare from Pine. Reeling back to their office after the inquisition is over, the two leaned on each other. 

"As God as my witness," moaned Hoult, "I actually looked down to make sure they hadn't put down plastic sheeting."

He wasn't joking. It wouldn't the first time an unlucky soul was shot or stabbed in the Big Three's inner sanctum on a tarp to keep the expensive furnishings clear of blood or intestines.

Driving home that evening, Maura was methodically working through the last week in her clever brain, trying to establish an order. "I have to find out what's in that shipment," she mused, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. "But even then, whatever they're moving into Algeria from Morocco is only half the equation." Eager to get inside her houseboat and on to the burner phone with her senior agent, Maura's hopes were dashed abruptly when she saw Hardy and another Corporation thug waiting by the docks. 

Thug #2 opened the door to their black Mercedes. "Get in, MacLaren." 

She held her ground. "Not until you tell me by whose orders."

Hardy was expressionless as he pushed her forward. "Mr. Pine."

When they didn't head back in the direction of the Corporation's building, Maura's thoughts began racing. Were they taking her somewhere to dump her body? Would Hardy kill her, like he had the MI6 agent? She wouldn't be as easy to dispose of, Maura thought with narrowed green eyes. She wasn't much relieved when they ended up in front of Thomas' house. Getting out on shaky legs as Hardy opened her door, she followed him up the stairs as he knocked on the door. Both staring at the glossy black door, her fellow agent's mouth was set in a thin, furious line.

"You're fucking Pine." It wasn't a question.

"Not my choice." Maura managed.

"You knew what you had to do. You were required to report it immediately. You're compromised, you stupid, fucking whore-" Hardy stopped as Pine opened the door, still in his overcoat and leather driving gloves.

"Thank you Hardy." Thomas still wasn't looking at Maura.

"Do you want us to stay and return her home, sir?" The bodyguard's voice was bored, but polite.

"That won't be necessary." Pine said, "you may leave." His frigid gaze finally turned to Maura. "Come in." When she hesitated for a moment, he growled "do not keep me waiting MacLaren. You will not enjoy the consequence." With the feeling she was sealing her doom, Maura squared her shoulders and stepped into the entryway, hearing the finality of the locks activating on the door behind her. 

 

Shrugging off his black cashmere topcoat, Pine looked at her over his shoulder.

"Take off your coat."

Maura did so, hanging it next to his, placing her purse on the antique table in the hall. He was doing the slow visual survey again, looking her over.

"Take off those horrible glasses as well."

Still silent, she placed them next to her purse. Suddenly, unwisely, Maura said, "You'd prefer to look me right in the eye as you kill me?"

His jaw tightened again, the only visual sign that Thomas heard her. "Take off your clothes."

"Take- take off my clothes? Here?" Maura looked around the circular foyer, standing in front of the door.

"I won't repeat myself, MacLaren. Do it now."

Pine took a step closer to her. Seeing his gloved hands clench angrily, she did as he ordered, face impassive. She wouldn't let her guard down again. The shapeless sweater went first, followed by her skirt, boots and socks, until she stood her in her black lace bra and panties. Maura's only concession to pretty when she was in smart and nerdy mode was gorgeous lingerie. The feeling of silk and lace against her skin made wearing the ugly, loose clothes more bearable. Thomas noticed, a slight curl to one corner of his mouth.

"A gorgeous slut under all those ugly clothes. Now, I know you have some knowledge of how to dress properly, MacLaren. So why do you deliberately choose to appear so plain at work?" He was walking around her now, Maura could feel the brush of his beautiful wool suit, feel his warmth on her back. He was taking the clips out of her messy bun and combing his fingers through the snarls in her long hair. She was actually grateful for this, since the wild beating of her heart could be confused for arousal, rather than her sudden certainty that her cover was blown.

"I believe you remember the reception I got after your collegues spotted me at the club? How long do you think it would take for Mr. Bender to injure me to the point you'd have to- what happened with your last two sectretaries? Reassignment?" Maura just stopped herself from making mocking quotation marks with her fingers as she drew out the word reassignment. "Perhaps, given as a present to a visiting client? 'Pretty' doesn't survive at the Corporation, but useful does."

Pine stared at her impassively for a long and terrible moment. Inclining his head, he said "That's logical. Clever, even." His eyes were azure, a shade Maura had not yet learned to read as a barometer of his mood. They ran leisurely over her long legs, toned from running and martial arts. Her glossy black hair was curling coyly over her lace-clad breasts, hiding the pink nipples he was so fond of nibbling on.

"Take off the rest." 

She drew in a long breath through her nose, letting it out through her mouth. Reaching behind her, Maura forced herself to stare back at Thomas. Pulling off the lace scraps and dropping them on the floor, her fingers went to the sides of her panties. His brows drew together, and she pulled them down over her smooth thighs before Pine could issue another threat. Standing nude in front of him- still fully dressed in his expensive suit- was harder than she expected, but Maura forced herself to stand tall, face schooled into impassive lines. Thomas still didn't touch her, didn't move closer at all, just continuing his leisurely examination. Finally, he ordered, "Go into the great room." He watched the movement of her ass as she did as she was told, the dark hair flowing down her slim back making her skin look so pale. Thomas followed her, taking a seat in a large, comfortable armchair.

"Stand in front of me."

Gritting her teeth, Maura did as he asked, hating the uncertainty of the moment, her mind rapidly trying to calculate a dozen different options of escape.

"You've been exceptionally, astonishingly badly behaved, little girl." He made himself more comfortable while ticking off his list of offenses. "You raised your voice to me. Defied me. Swore at me. Questioned my authority." Pausing for a moment to look her over again, Thomas ordered, "kneel over my lap."

Maura could only blink at him, startled. "You want me to-"

"I believe you heard me the first time. Kneel over my lap." Pine spread his long legs, making room  for her body. "I won't ask again." This time, his voice was low, rage simmering just underneath and Maura suddenly realized how much anger he was keeping in check. A little awkwardly, she leaned over him, placing his closest thigh in the cradle of her pelvis and laying her arms and chest over the other. Her curls brushed the carpet as she tried to find her balance. Just as she did, Thomas quickly hitched up one leg, knocking her off balance again so that Maura had to wrap her arms around his muscled thigh to keep in place. "Four infractions. Unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable." The rage was still just under the surface when he spoke, and she drew in a sharp breath. "I believe 5 strikes for each offense is appropriate." Her head shot up at his last words and as one warm palm slid over her bottom, rubbing it softly. She realized he was still wearing his leather driving gloves.

"You can't mean to-" she gasped, outraged that he would attempt to spank her like a naughty child.

A sharp, brutal slap across her left cheek drew a strangled shriek of pain and outrage from Maura.

"That's exactly what I plan to do. And you will count each stroke and you will thank me for it."

"I won't do- AH!" Another blow, harder than the first and directly over the red handprint already appearing on her smooth skin.

"Are you ready to begin?"

His voice was still impassive, patient as if he had all night to administer warning strikes on her bottom. Maura angrily set her jaw, refusing to answer. Another slap, this time on her right. She managed to not make a sound, until Thomas raised his hand again. "Are. You. Ready?" He emphasised in his low, rich voice.

"Y-yes."

Another sharp slap, this time on her upper thigh and Maura gasped, not expecting it. "Yes, what?"

She poured every ounce of hate into her response. "Yes, SIR."

"Very well. We'll begin." The first blow was over the red mark decorating the creamy skin on her right buttock. The leather of his gloves made the strike so much worse, so much more painful than his bare hand that he'd used on her once or twice during sex.

"One," she gulped, "thank you, Sir." One hand rubbed the sting gently for a moment, so Maura was unprepared for the next strike on her upper thigh again. "Mmm- two! Thank you, sir." The unsettling combination of soothing comfort from one huge hand and the vicious strike of the other continued, Maura holding on to his long leg for dear life, gritting her teeth against the tears threatening to spill. 'I will _not_ cry in front of this bastard!' she vowed as the next slap came. By the 15th slap, her pale bottom was a screaming combination of pinks and reds, handprints from Pine's spanking crisscrossing over each other. More slap marks reddened the soft skin of her thighs. She was shaking with the effort of keeping the tears from letting loose, and the whole thing confused Maura. She'd borne unimaginable pain before, refusing to scream, sometimes not even flinching. This spanking was terribly painful, but nothing at all like the beatings she'd taken from her father. So why was it so hard to keep from crying?

"Ow! Um, six-sixteen. Thank you Sir."

Her whole body stiffened as one large palm raised as the other ran gloved fingers over the welts, then trailed along the slit between them. Maura had used laser hair removal as soon as she could afford to it- getting rid of all the hair from her body to save the trouble of shaving. So, her soft lips were bare as the leather prodded them, making that part of her even more sensitive.

Pine smiled darkly as Maura moved against his lap, trying to get away from his diabolical fingers. Gently swiping them against her one more time, he reached in front of her face. "What do you see?"

She sniffed, "I- I don't- Your glove, Sir?"

His low, pleased chuckle made her stomach clench in spite of herself. "Coated with you, darling. So wet, when I'm spanking your naughty little ass."

To her horror, he was correct. Maura was focusing so hard on controlling her pain and embarrassment that she didn't realize her hips were starting a small, helpless twist against his hard thighs, moisture glistening on her swelling lips. "Ah!" She groaned, biting her lip, desperately trying to keep her composure. "S-s-seventeen, thank you, Sir." This time, Thomas' gloved hand struck directly on her wet pussy, the wetness making the tender lips sting even worse. Biting down on her lip again, Maura tried to move away as one thick, gloved finger pushed into her slowly as her narrow walls tried to force it back out. A sharp snap of the gloved hand on her sensitive clitoris made her shriek this time. 

"Did I tell you to move?" Pine's voice was different, thicker with arousal. 

Maura's head drooped miserably. "No Sir," she whispered.

She could feel his finger, unfamiliar and almost obscene in the leather glove, moved in and out of her, spreading more of her slick along her lips and inner thighs. "Mmmmmf-!" Thomas had aimed another slap on her ass, her startled movement drove her harder on to his finger. "Eighteen...mmm...thank you, Sir."

"Spread your legs wider, darling."

His dark voice was like sin, shuddering, Maura obeyed him. "Are you ready to continue?" His thick finger was still sliding in and out of her, making her pussy invitingly slick. Maura nodded, afraid she would burst into tears if she spoke. "Use your words, baby."

God, she hated this man! Maura sniffed, trying to concentrate, trying to steel herself against the excruciating collision of her burning bottom, the cruel sting of his palm, and curling arousal of her pussy. "Yes...yes, Sir."

Thomas pulled his finger from her pussy, sliding it up and down. When the soaking wet leather found her ass, it circled around her little pucker, spreading her juices there. Maura was unconsciously shaking her head as the finger paused over her anus. The worst blow yet landed on the sorest part of her ass, forcing a strangled wail from between her teeth as her pelvis tried to move away from the slap, which only served to push his finger into her ass to the first knuckle.

"Nineteen," Maura gasped, "thank you Sir..."

Her long, lithe body was shaking from the effort of keeping still and trying to keep the invading finger from moving any further.

"Last one," soothed Thomas, "then I'll take care of that poor little kitty." The final slap was incandescently painful- directly on her pussy, the leather palm and her wetness creating a blistering sting. Her body's surge upwards shoved Pine's finger all the way in. Cruelly, he wiggled it a bit while waiting for her to speak.

"Twenty!" She furiously hissed, "thankyouSir!" Maura gave a very embarrassing squeak when he gently pulled his finger from her, taking off the gloves and dropping them to the floor. They stayed that way for a moment, Thomas using his big, warm palms to lightly soothe her welts as Maura still gripped his leg tightly.

"Stand up, darling."

Giving a shaky sigh, she did as she was told.

"Go into the kitchen and bend over the table." Pine's voice was calm, but the dark edge still deepened it. Maura looked at him, green eyes wide. He merely raised a dark brow. "Must I repeat myself?" 

'He's not going to hear me beg,' she thought angrily. Slowly, Maura made her way through the dining room into the kitchen, every step making her blistered bottom flare in pain again. Facing the old wooden farm table in the dimly lit kitchen, Maura remembered how Thomas made her dinner the first night here, and that she'd been pleased he chose to seat them at the kitchen table instead of the coldly formal dining room. 

"Bend over the table, darling."

He was so close that she jumped a little. Holding in the groan her entire body wanted to give, Maura did. "Hold on to the sides of the table." She felt Thomas take one wrist and then the other, tying them swiftly to the table legs, then kneeling behind her, pulling her legs farther apart and binding them as well. Maura pressed her forehead against the cool wood beneath her as she felt him chuckle, then puff a warm breath of air over her glistening lips. "These poor red cheeks," he mused, tracing his tongue over some of the raised marks. The saliva left by his tongue cooled in the air, actually feeling good on her heated bottom. Maura jumped when his lips and tongue began tracing her pussy, just the tip of his tongue tickling her traumatized clitoris, gently nudging it to firmness again.

Standing up, Thomas possessively ran his long fingers along her back and sides, fingers idly tracing her spine. In the silence, Maura could his hands go to his zipper, drawing it down slowly, the rustle of clothing as she felt the hot, moist head of his cock against her. "We're going to play a game, Maura." Pine's voice was precise, calm. "I'm going to ask you some questions. If I'm displeased with the answers, I'm  going to pound you into this table like a common whore." Her shaking hands curled into into fists. Thomas was often rough with her, but never brutal. His intimidatingly large dick could actually damage her severely- maybe even permanently. A sharp slap on her blistered bottom made her head shoot up. 

"Yes!" She hissed, "I understand, Sir."

Thomas walked to her end of the table, taking off his suit jacket and rolling up the sleeves of his pale blue shirt, already damp with sweat after Maura's torturous spanking. She could see his dick jutting out from his opened trousers. He waited with a mocking smile for her seawater eyes to rise again to his. They were nearly black, pupils blown wide like a full eclipse in a blue sky. They were the last thing she saw as he put his tie over her eyes, tying it and running a finger under the silk to make sure the blindfold was secure. 

"Kiss..." The whisper from his deep, sybilant voice raised goosebumps on Maura's arms. His warm head pressed against her full lips, and she opened her mouth to let his prodding cock in. Licking and sucking on him, Maura could feel the tension in his movements, already harsher than been before. Groaning, Thomas yanked his dick out of her mouth, spreading the long string of her saliva and his pre-cum on her pink lips.

She heard his unhurried steps return to the end of the table, his fingers tapping lightly on her clit. Feeling the head of press against her opening, Maura squeezed her eyes shut, forgetting about the blindfold. Her tight walls were slick enough to open for his first, firm push. As he slid in, Thomas leaned over her shaking form. He inquired, "Who do you belong to, Pet?"

Maura apparently wasn't quick enough, because the next push into her was a shove, forcing more than half of him inside her. "You! I belong to you, Sir," she forced out between gritted teeth.

His hips returned to the slower thrusts. "Very good, Pet." Thomas smiled as he saw her jaw clench. Maura absolutely despised the demeaning nickname. "Question two," his hips began to move faster again. "What happens to bad girls who misbehave?"

Maura was trying to force herself to relax, trying to make his thrusts hurt less. "They- mmnmph! They get punished, Sir."

His next hard thrust pushed his cock against her cervix, and Thomas let out a pleased growl, covering Maura's moan as his lean hips slapped against her red and welted bottom. "Excellent. Do you think it was wise of you to raise your voice to me last night? To be disrespectful to me?"

Her fine-boned wrists were starting to bruise as Maura mindlessly yanked against her bonds. "That was unacceptable, Sir. I am so very sorry." Her mind was a melee of anguish from his thrusts that were beginning to feel deliciously good, and the misery of her ass and thighs from being punished again.

"Yes, it was Pet," his thrusts were suddenly faster, "and it was both outrageous and foolish to presume I wouldn't protect yo- my property, wasn't it?" 

Was that a note of hurt in his tone? Maura gasped out desperately "it was very offensive and- and- very presumptuous Sir!" She moaned against an especially hard push.

"What do you have to say to your Sir?" Thomas was suddenly and unreasoningly furious with the woman he was fucking. 

Maura was frantic, he could really damage her if she didn't calm him. The balance of pain and pleasure was collapsing into agony. "Sir, I am so very sorry! I wasn't thinking last night! I- ow! I pushed away your concern and was so- so rude." Maura was crying openly now, "I- um, I guess I didn't understand- I'm not used to anyone...doing that! Please forgive me, Thomas- I mean Sir!" Maura was humiliated to realize she'd admitted the truth in her desperation.

His clever fingers began gently stroking her clit in contrast to his pounding inside her. She felt his other hand rise to her face, his thumb brush against the tears seeping under the blindfold. "Will you ever make such a foolish mistake again?" 

"No!" Maura gasped out, "I swear it, Sir!"

His long fingers captured her clit between them and pulled gently. "Very well, Pet. I forgive you. Now give me the orgasm that belongs to me. You may come."

To her utter shock, Maura realized she actually was ready. The balance had shifted back between the two sensations and she threw her head back, letting out a loud blissful shriek. He growled, tipped into his orgasm from hers. Thomas gripped Maura's hips, holding her against him as her violent convulsions almost pushed him out of her silky, slick channel. Head thrown back rapturously, Pine felt the pleasure tear through every part of his body as he struggled to keep standing. Resting his sweaty chest against her heaving back, he was brought back to the present by her helpless moans, she was still coming against his cock. 

"Hush," he managed, panting, "hush now. Time to rest." Thomas carefully pulled himself from Maura, stroking her blindfolded cheek under the dim kitchen lamp. "You're all right, little one." Her moans were trailing off into whimpers. "You're all right now."


	10. What The Hell Is A REE, MacLaren?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura makes the connection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter's "activities" on the farm table in Pine's kitchen were hot, but kinda rough. The start here is to make up for it.

 

Maura woke up to feel Thomas stroking her back with his long fingers as he read the book propped on his other knee. She found herself in his bed, and it was dark and quiet outside. "How long have I been asleep?" She yawned.

He shrugged, his eyes still following the page he was reading. "It's around midnight. You needed the rest," Thomas answered, politely omitting that after her multiple orgasm, Maura actually passed out on his kitchen table. His hand stilled as she tried to sit up, choking back a gasp as she remembered that her bottom was still on fire. He chuckled, standing and picking her up easily and walking into his bathroom. 

"I can walk," she mumbled.

"Yes, I am aware of that," Pine agreed as he started the bathtub, perching her on the bench beside it. She immediately shifted all her weight to one hip and off her bottom as he chuckled quietly. Suddenly shy, Maura pulled the soft blanket he'd carried her in around her shoulders, looking around the sumptuous room. This was her favorite room in Pine's house, walls tiled in pristine white and gray granite, old-fashioned hexagonal black and white tile floor, and the largest shower and bathtub she'd ever seen. In all, the room was likely bigger than the cabin of her houseboat. Thomas handed her two pills and a glass of water. 

"What's this?" She turned the pills over, looking up at him. Pine was changed into a pair of dark blue sweats, he looked freshly showered. 

"Just paracetamol," he answered, turning off the tub and holding out a hand to her. "You're going to need them."

Flushing at his half smile, Maura downed the pills and took his hand, groaning internally as she stood up. "Mmmmmm...this is so wonderful," she moaned as her sore bottom was cradled by the warm water. Thomas put a fluffy sponge and a bottle of body wash on the side of the tub, getting ready to bathe her. As he moved to her back with the soapy sponge, Maura flushed. "I can do this," she said, uncomfortable with the idea of the ruthless crime lord bathing her like a child.

"You could," Pine agreed again. "Lean forward." His hand lightly pressed her shoulder forward until Maura gave in, arching her long spine as Thomas stroked the sponge over her. She was tense, feeling strange about his treatment. He'd done this the first night too, but she'd been too exhausted to resist him.

"Do you do this for all the women who sleep over?" She tried to make a little joke of it, but Pine was not amused.

Moving on to her arm, he gently moved the sponge over her battered wrist, frowning. "I don't allow women to sleep over."

"Oh..." She wasn't sure what to say.

Taking the other arm, Thomas continued on. Maura began moving restlessly when his rough fingers soaped her breasts and tummy, and she flushed as he smirked a little. He gently pushed her against the back of the tub again, and lifted one long leg to continue. Carefully soaping the bruises on her ankles, he ran his broad palms slowly up her toned calf, feeling her jerk back a little as his soapy attentions continued over her thighs, running one hand up each to meet at her pelvis, thumbs resting just over her clit. Looking up at her, Thomas grinned to see her eyes closed, pink mouth open and breathing faster. After what he'd put her through that night, it was a reaction he wasn't expecting. Still watching her, he ran one thumb over her slit, then a feather-light touch back up. Just as her hip made that first small rotation, he grinned again and ran his hands over her hips, curving them softly over her sore bottom. Maura's eyes popped open, irritated at the detour of those thumbs. Looking up to see the smug grin on Pine's face, she huffed a little in embarrassment.

"Go to your knees, Pet."

His deep voice simmered along her nerves, obeying him without even thinking twice. He turned her to rest her elbows on the back of the tub for balance, and pressed one big hand along the length of her spine, arching her back so her battered bottom was on display. Maura defensively jerked away a bit when his freshly soaped hands went back to her pink and purple globes, bruises sprouting like bluish-gray flowers on her backside. "Shhh," he soothed, "I'm just going to make you feel better. This sweet little ass had quite an evening."

Maura's head dropped to one arm. How could she possibly be an intelligence agent- a deep undercover operative trusted with state secrets and still blush like a 12 year old when he spoke to her in that silky, sinful tone? His hands rested on the narrow curve of her waist, looking at the rounded shape of her behind. Light slid along her wet skin, gleaming against the lean muscles that moved as she shifted her knees. Maura's skin was pink and flushing from the warm water, and his calloused hands ran along her skin, sparking sensation from his sensitive palms straight down to his dick. Ignoring it, Thomas continued to carefully wash his lover, lingering longer than necessary on her silky nether lips and watching them swell under his attentions. He smothered his grin when Maura moaned involuntarily, her hips pressing a little against his hand. 

"Darling," he warned, "I'm trying to be a gentleman and take care of you. Your response is making it a tad difficult to concentrate."

Her head was still against one pale arm, her inky curls piled on top of her head, Thomas slid a hand into her curls, stroking them in the same pattern he was bathing her.

"I cannot believe I am saying this," she moaned, "but maybe...um, would you like to share my bath for a bit?"

Pine's hands stilled. This was the first time- ever -that Maura initiated anything between them. "I'm not certain that's wise," he said reluctantly, "you're forgetting how uncomfortable you're going to be in the morning." But his clever, treacherous fingers were back to sliding over her center.

Maura's head turned, her seawater colored eyes peeking from under a curtain of black curls. "Please?"

Thomas groaned. Fuck being a gentleman. He stood, dropping his sweats and putting one long leg over the side and into the warm water. Kneeling, he turned the blushing girl and gently put her knees on either side of his narrow hips. Raising her up, Thomas slid her up and down along the length of his cock, already swollen and eager. Maura's head dropped bonelessly to his shoulder at the teasing sensation of his thickness sliding between her silky lips, but not entering into her painfully sore channel. Back and forth, he kept moving, strong hands on her hips easily handling her.

"Oh..."

Her sigh was a bare exhale of breath, feeling the long, sensual slide of him against her sparking nerve endings.

"Shhh..." he soothed, kissing her shoulder, "let me do the work." Thomas continued sliding against her, gently nudging her clitoris every time, until Maura's hips started moving with him. Putting her arms around his neck, she began to place kisses along his neck, feeling the heat in her pelvis start to spiral, coil in that way that meant she was close. Pine could feel it too, her puffy lower lips tightening along his thickness, the slick between them moving them faster. Putting one broad palm at the base of her spine he pushed her harder, rubbing her clit along the hairy base of him. The wiry curls at his pelvis tickled her little bundle of nerves, making the sparks run faster and closer together as she started pulling at his broad shoulders, arching against him looking for something she couldn't seem to name. Thomas ran his teeth along her neck until he reached her ear. "You may come. I want it. You must give it to me." And with another soundless gasp, she did. Her forehead pressed into his neck, and he heard the sweet moan that barely passed her lips, and just like that, he came too.

 

Dropping Maura back at her marina just as the pink and gold streaks of dawn were making their appearance, Thomas decided to use the gym at the Corporation's office building instead of trying to fit in a run. Hitting the speed bag, he thought back to dressing a boneless Maura. He'd rubbed arnica gel on her bruises- between her bottom, wrists and ankles, it took nearly an entire tube. When he tried to direct her on to his lap, she fell backwards with an undignified yelp, scowling at his laughter. "I just want to put some numbing cream on that soft, sore bottom Pet."

Turning his thoughts to the Algerians, Thomas was irritated to find his planning kept being interrupted by visions of the green eyed girl writhing over his lap and on his cock last night. Realizing he was sporting a huge erection in the middle of gym crowded with early bird employees, Pine gave the speed bag a last angry punch and stalked out the room.

Maura unfortunately, did not get to enjoy any pleasant flashbacks. The dire nature of her undercover position hit her like a ton of bricks. Dropping her purse and putting the kettle on, she desperately tried to think of a way to salvage the mission- at least her part in it. Hardy's disgusted face and the words "you're compromised, you stupid whore!" sent a hot, painful flush of shame through her. She'd always tried so hard to be a "good girl" as a child- at least until it was necessary to do bad things. But the heat of shame still burned her. 

Running a distracted hand through her curls, Maura edged around the dreaded word.

Compromised.

The word meant failure, pulled from the mission, maybe even criminal charges decided by a secretive court with no defense. Taking her tea out to the deck and curling up on her chair, Maura stared sightlessly as the river traffic started up on the Thames.

Rubbing her eyes and trying to think of an outfit that would cover her bruised wrists and the bite marks on her neck, Maura wearily opened her eyes and froze. Dropping her mug, she seized her phone, snapping pictures of a small cargo ship passing by. "I knew I was missing something!" She hissed triumphantly, opening her laptop and activating her visual search feature. Fingers scrambling on the keyboard, Maura rapidly ran down the international shipping symbols. "Knew it!" She shouted, diving for her burner. 

"You've got fucking nerve calling me, you slut," Hardy's voice dripped contempt. "Call in sick and just sit there for your extraction orders."

"Hardy just hold up a minute!" Maura pleaded. "I know I...I know I  fucked up but listen to me! I know what the Algerians are doing!"

 

Hardy peeled the lid off his coffee, gulping greedily. "MacLaren, this sounds like bullshit."

"No, look." She handed him photos of the shipping symbols. "Do you know what REE stands for?"

Rolling his brown eyes, Hardy shoved the photos back at her. They were sitting in her Land Rover, hidden in a parking garage. "No. Move this along MacLaren, I have a report to file."

She suddenly gave the senior agent a huge, hopeful grin. "You haven't called me in, yet?"

"Get to the goddamn point or I swear I'll shoot you myself!"

"Okay, okay! So, REE stands for rare earth elements. Weapons-grade minerals and metals, most modern weaponry can't be built without REE. But the elements are so rare, they're becoming practically non-existent. China's holding the majority right now, another reason they've been upgraded on the terrorist watch list."

Hardy was actually listening, coffee cup forgotten in his hand. "Go on."

"I remembered where I'd seen these symbols before. My first mission was in that Doomsday compound, remember that Himalayan group? Anyway, they were mining a line of the toxic Samarium in Nepal for a series of smart bombs. This equipment is very expensive and quite specific, Hardy. They've found a REE source in Algeria, and judging by the shit-ton of equipment, the amount is off the charts."

Hardy was staring at her animated face. "Did you just say 'shit-ton' in that finishing school accent of yours? That's so fucking hot."

Maura punched his shoulder as hard as she could. "Are you listening to me Hardy? That's what the all the payments were for. That's why France paid twenty million pounds sterling--not euros, mind you to the Masoud group. They must have been trying to be a player and the Corporation shut them down. France is trying to bid for the mineral rights, and I doubt they're the only country on the list."

"All that potential and France not sharing with the rest of the European Union," Hardy snorted, "naughty, naughty."

Maura burst into laughter. "Naughty, naughty? You've been in England too long."

"Yeah, fuck off, MacLaren. So that's the cargo the Big Three hijacked. They must have use for the Masoud group or they would have just killed everyone."

"Maybe Masoud has access to more equipment." Maura suggested. "As I said, it's rare and it's expensive."

Hardy leaned back, tiredly rubbing his eyes. "So, the REE stash. Important enough to take over a small, African country?"

"Absolutely," nodded Maura.

"Well, fuck, MacLaren. That's why the Big Three are sitting on a stash of weapons big enough to blow up the world." They sat in silence for a moment, listening to London traffic begin to grow for rush hour.

"So, Hoult told me the Algerians are back in town tomorrow night for a big meeting at Corporation headquarters. We've been building untraceable offshore accounts day and night to house another sixty million pounds. This has to be the bidding war for control of the country's resources, and the Corporation will oversee the takeover of the government." Maura ran a hand through her curls, scratching her head in thought. "Have they told you what you'll be doing? Maybe you'd be in the Blood Room during the meeting?"

Hardy shook his head. "I'm not at that security rank yet. I'll be guarding the doors or some shit. How do we get someone in the room?"

Maura gripped the steering wheel, feeling like she wanted to cry and throw up, all at the same time. "Can you get me one or two of those microscopic bugs? The ones that attach to skin?"

"Yeah, I've got some, actually, but-" He looked at her sharply. "Fuck no, Maura! You're going home and waiting for extraction. You're done here!"

"Tell me another way we're going to get a bug in there, Hardy! You know they'll sweep everyone but the Big Three!"

His face was expressionless as he stared at her. "Did he rape you?"

"What?" Her voice came out in a squeak.

Hardy looked at her directly. "You heard me."

Maura looked down into her lap. "It wasn't my choice. But it wasn't rape. I wanted...I knew I was supposed to report it immediately. I just...I couldn't say the words to you or Kennedy." She shuddered. "Especially Kennedy."

He sighed, looking out the window. "Are you trying to stay in the game thinking with your head or your pussy?"

That miserable flush of shame came over her again. "The former, Hardy. I am...I know I am compromised in a way, I know that. I didn't follow protocol. I care about him more than I should, but--" her throat closed up, trying not to vomit. "But he cares about me more than he should, too. I can get the device on him and we'll have everything we need."

Hardy sighed, looking away from her. "Go to work, MacLaren, let me think about it. Don't discuss this with Kennedy, he'll insist on bringing you in immediately."

Maura felt faint with the rush of relief, "thank you." She grinned, "look at you, withholding information from another senior partner. You Americans are always so rebellious." 

He looked at her before shutting the door. "I'm serious about shooting you myself. Don't fuck around, MacLaren."

 

 


	11. You're Not The First Man I've Killed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for attempted assault, guns and violence. And minor character death. You've been warned.
> 
> Huge props to misreall, whose definition of Hiddleston's voice made me swoon like a Victorian Virgin.

As much as her hormones were desperately trying to overrule her sore and exhausted lower half, Maura was grateful the big meeting made it impossible to see Thomas that day. Everyone worked in their departments 'till midnight, trying to be ready for the next day. But when she walked down the dock to her houseboat, there was was a huge vase of native Irish flowers- globe flowers, lilies and Molucca Balm waiting on her doorstep, with a note that read, "Damned Irish temptress." Breathing in their sweet scent, Maura forced herself to remember why she was here.

The big day was more of the same frantic combinations of code, creating safe havens for the unimaginable amounts of money to be offered up that night. Maura came back to her computer bank at lunchtime to find a sloppy peanut butter and jelly sandwich sitting on the desk. Checking to make sure Hoult was still out of the room, she opened the bread to find the two microscopic mics in a tiny plastic case, nestled in the peanut butter. Fishing them out and hiding them in her bra, Maura sighed, bleakly eating the prop sandwich for lunch. As she'd alternately dreaded and hoped, a buzz came from her computer speaker around 5pm, with Thomas' voice: a deep resonance with a surprise touch of growl, requesting her presence in his office. Carefully slipping the pinhead-sized devices on her fingertip, she walked down the executive corridors, her stomach in knots. 

"Well, well. Look at this, my dinner showed up early." Bender's sadistic drawl halted her, Maura eyeing the distance to Pine's door from where she was. Could she make a run for it? A harsh hand pulled her shoulder, forcing her to turn around. 

"Mr Bender, Mr Pine is expecting me," she enunciated. "He will not be happy if I'm late."

Bender towered over her, edging Maura into the wall as he grinned down at her. "Now, is that any way to speak to a vice president of this company? You should be grateful I've taken an interest in you, MacLaren." He pulled off her glasses before Maura could stop him. "Look at those pretty green eyes. Why don't you give me the same 'fuck me' stare you give Pine, darling? Come on, now..." He pulled her closer, trying to yank off her shapeless cardigan.

"Mr Pine IS EXPECTING A REPORT RIGHT NOW FROM R&D!" Maura pitched the volume of her complaint as high as she dared without screaming, which would be a disastrous idea in the Corporation's inner offices. Angrily pushing against the hands ripping her clothes, Maura grabbed a handful of perfectly coiffed hair and yanked Michael's mouth away from hers. "Not going to happen!" she hissed.

"Bitch!" She expected the slap and moved into it to lessen the blow.

"What the _hell_ is going on here?"

She closed her eyes in gratitude, hearing the cold, precise tones that meant Thomas was ready to kill someone.

"This fucking bitch just raised a hand to me, Pine! I want her disciplined!" Bender was furious, but knew better than to grab her again.

"It seems to me," snarled Thomas, "that you were trying to fuck my R&D employee in the middle of the bloody hallway. And it doesn't appear MacLaren appreciated it. Go visit the brothel and let off some steam, but don't touch what is mine...again." His voice lowered to a degree of malice and deadliness Maura had never heard before.

Michael angrily straightened his jacket, then smoothed his hair. "You need to decide where your loyalties lie before it impacts your future here, _Pine,"_ he sneered.

Thomas smiled mirthlessly. "I'm really not concerned, Number _Three._ I'll see you tonight."

 

Inside his office, Thomas lifted her face with a hand under her chin.

"Did he hurt you?"

Maura forced herself to smile, shaking her head. "The man hits like a girl." She expected him to chuckle, but a dark shadow slid over his patrician features. She put her hands on either side of his face, running her fingers through his hair. "I'm fine. It's nothing. I'm glad you came when you did."

He let out a sigh, clenching his jaw. "I'm going to have to take care of this problem one day soon."

"You mean- what? Me or him?"

It burst out before Maura could stop herself, and she watched as the cool and collected Pine actually looked shocked. A nervous giggle burst from her as his blue eyes narrowed, an azure color that she decided meant amorous, as he lowered his dark head and kissed her with a rather arousing level of savagery. 'Mark that down,' she thought as he thrust into her on his desk, her legs wrapped around his narrow hips. 'Azure is a good sign. Very, very, good.'

Maura was kept to the office with Hoult that night, ready to check bank accounts for the bidding partners. Hardy, as he predicted, was stationed outside the door.

"I'm stuck taking these fucktards out for cocaine and potty breaks," he hissed to Maura during a brief face to face.

"Where's Kennedy?" She asked, checking the hallway. He shook his head, frowning.

"Not sure. I updated him on the mic placement and your theory on the REE's."

"Did you-" her head dropped shamefully, "I mean, the-"

"No." Hardy shook his head, looking the other way. "Maybe it doesn't need to be brought up."

He walked away before Maura could finish her "thank you."

She was barely capable of stringing a sentence together that night, waiting for the meeting to be over. Maura couldn't gather the data from the tiny mic until she returned to the houseboat. As she and Nicholas finished their work, a loud (and well on their way to being drunk) group of Algerians and other guests passed noisily by their door. With a shudder, Maura recognized Michael's voice as he drunkenly promised, "You'll love this bathhouse! All the prettiest Japanese girls you can imagine! A long soak in the tubs, a brisk scrub, and you're pounding into a tiny Asian pussy in no time!" Maura turned, carefully keeping her expression passive as she finished her work. Perfect. A good soak and scrub would take care of those two mics she'd stuck onto that asshole's scalp. No need to involve Thomas at all. Walking to her car later with an exhausted Hoult, Maura turned to see Pine graciously open the limousine door for the Algerians, some of the company escorts, and...Flower, who kissed his cheek as she slid in. His gaze looked up to meet hers as she got into her car, shutting the door and looking away.

"Remember who you're working for." Maura repeated it over and over until she reached the houseboat, angrily showering off his smell from that passionate episode on his desk. She almost believed the mantra by the time she fell asleep. 

 

The angry buzz of the burner phone woke her before dawn. Stumbling out of bed and hitting the white noise switch as she pushed the power button, Maura slurred, "Lo?"

"MacLaren!" Hardy's voice was steely. "We've been made. Get the fuck out and go to a safe place before you dial the extraction number."

Maura gasped in horror. "Hardy! Are you all right? Are you sure? Who- we've been so careful!" She was already tugging on some jeans, trying to find a pair of boots. 

His voice was hoarse with pain. "I'm pretty goddamn sure, since they just shot me in the leg. It's Kennedy. Has to be. He's the only one who knows what happened tonight."

Jumping from one foot to another as she pulled on the boots, Maura managed, "Are you okay? How bad is it? Should we meet up?"

"Fuck, MacLaren, pay attention!" He groaned, trying to tie off the blood spurting from his leg. "Get the audio from tonight. Get the fuck OUT. Don't worry about me, you stupid bitch!"

"Hardy..." He could hear her sorrow over the crackling line.

"Do you have the audio." He managed. Hardy could hear her scrabbling frantically, metal clanking.

"Yes, just downloaded it on a thumbdrive. I'm out of here."

"Go," he hissed, "fucking move. Don't trust anyone until you're back in HQ."

"Hardy, I can help-" she started, before he heard her door being broken down and the connection failed.

"Fuck!!" He howled, throwing his burner in the toilet and angrily flushing it.

 

The push from the front door exploding in knocked Maura off her feet. Michael came through, drunk and disheveled, but no less dangerous.

"Look at you, pretty little cunt. I've been looking forward to seeing you in tight clothes again."

The seconds Maura needed to throw the burner phone and her laptop off the deck and into the Thames was enough for him to slap her across the cabin. "Yes, I've really been waiting for the moment I could fuck you and kill you. And here we are, darling." He spread his bloody hands wide, a maniacal grin on his face. "And I _am_ going to fuck you to death, MacLaren. I have it all planned out."

Maura crab-walked rapidly away from him, trying to find enough space to move against him. "Pity," he continued, knocking over the table between them, "it's going to be a little quicker than I planned, since Pine's already sent security to drag your treacherous cunt back." Bender paused to chuckle, licking the blood off his knuckles from hitting her. "Really, it would almost be worth letting you live, just to see that bastard torture you to death. He's not happy, kitten. Not at all." Maura slid her back up against the wall, figuring the distance between them. "But," he continued, "I just can't let this moment pass. You planted those motherfucking bugs on me, didn't you? That was bloody awkward to explain. And what exactly is _in_ that golden pussy of yours? It's enough to fool Pine, who has to be the most suspicious man in 3 continents." He looked at Maura, back against the wall and looking obviously terrified. "I'm going to make my way inside that trick pelvis of yours and tear it to pieces."

"Maybe not," was all Maura said before she lashed out viciously. Her black belt in three different forms of martial arts was not going to go to waste. And she was hoping to use all of them on Bender tonight. It was brutal. Even drunk, Bender was quick and vicious, and he used his longer arms and brute strength to his advantage. Maura wasn't surprised to see he carried a gun- she broke his wrist before he could pull it from his shoulder holster. It would have ended the issue quickly if she'd used the firearm on it's owner, but Maura couldn't. She was certain Michael would never travel without security and knowing all the marina's neighbors would come running and get caught in the crossfire if they heard a gunshot. It took all ten levels she taught her girls in self-defense class, and nearly everything else in her bag of tricks before Bender lay choking on his own blood from a crushed larynx on her bedroom floor. Pulling the knife she'd bloodied from Thomas a few nights before, Maura held it to his throat.

"Don't feel too honored, bitch,"  she whispered. "You're not the first man I've killed. Ask my Da when you see him in Hell." 

The meaty "thunk!" of a bullet hitting the wall behind her head made her freeze, and Michael managed to turn her wrist, driving the knife into her thigh. Using the strength left in her good leg, Maura shoved herself off the floor, rolling across the deck and awkwardly falling into the river, two more bullets following her. Trying not to think about just how polluted the water was, seeping quickly into her stab wound, she let herself drift with the current for a moment, attempting to regain her strength. Rolling to her back, she tried to think. The extraction number meant to pull them from the assignment was programmed into the burner phone- currently resting on the bottom of the river, along with her laptop. Kennedy and Hardy were the only two with the name of the official in the UN who placed them inside the Corporation assignment. "First things first, girl," she mumbled wearily, Irish accent beginning to slip in, "gettin' ow' this cursed water before you catch cholera." The rain cascading down her shivering back was a blessing and a curse for Maura as she stumbled down a side street. It made the fact that she was soaking wet a little less of an oddity. Finding the alleyway she was looking for, Maura counted windows until finding the pet clinic's back entrance. Carefully blocking the alarm tape with a paper clip to keep it from going off, she got the glass sider open with some difficulty. "I doan' know whether to hate tha' bastard more for stabbing me or keeping me knife," she sighed quietly. In moments of extreme duress or exhaustion, her Irish childhood accent would creep back in, no matter how hard she'd tried to eradicate it. "Woulda got the window up easier, thas' certain." Making her way to the medical supplies, she swiftly cleaned her wound and used medical glue to put the gaping skin back together. Wrapping her leg tightly, Maura went through the employee lockers, trying to find something to wear. Two dogs began barking as she entered the room, and she limped over, finding a box of dog bones. "Sorry lads, I know how ya feel," she soothed, feeding the frightened pets a treat. They quieted down enough for her to find a set of medical scrubs that would fit her and a jacket. Slipping out the way she came, Maura shut the window and reactivated the alarm system.

Walking was excruciating, but she refused to take any pain meds from the clinic. The throbbing from her leg would at least keep her alert. Fingering the precious thumbdrive in her pocket, Maura was back to the same problem: who the hell to trust? "Firs' things firs, girl," she counseled herself. "Need some nicker before anythin else." Limping into an Apple store, she smiled weakly at the salesperson's eager offers of help and made her way to a laptop, hacking into Barclay's Bank and accessing a random account. "Sorry, sir." She murmured, "but I need this more than you." Shifting the funds into a ghost account, Maura would just need to find a cashpoint to withdraw it. Tapping the thumbdrive in her pocket, she bit her full lip. Rapidly creating a new email account, she plugged the drive into the computer port, tapping her fingers nervously. The file was huge, and she fretted as it downloaded, shifting from foot to foot. Yanking out the thumbdrive and closing the email account, Maura hit the history bar, then delete. Walking out of the Apple store, she allowed herself one deep, relieved exhalation. The breath was still leaving her lips when she felt the pinch of a needle in her back, her vision greying in before everything went to black.

Maura woke with an undignified "ooof!" as she was thrown over someone's shoulder and carried into the Corporation office building. Her hands were bound behind her, and she shook her head, trying to rid herself of the lingering confusion and slowness from the drug. The thug carrying her impatiently shifted her, bouncing her into a new position and grabbing the leg with the knife wound. Pressing her lips together, Maura started running through escape options in her fuzzy brain. Nothing useful came from her foggy thoughts by the time she entered the Blood Room upside down. Maura scrambled to her feet after being unceremoniously dumped on the floor. Her heart stopped when the first thing she saw was the blazing ice blue of Pine's eyes, set in an impassive face. Eyes darting left, Maura saw a grey and terrified Kennedy, looking like he'd been through a meat grinder. Judging by the seeping bandaging, he was missing several fingers. Standing as far away from him as possible was Hardy, leaning on his intact leg. 

"Bender, what are you doing here?" Kingston's voice was irritated. "You should be with the doctor."

Maura turned to see a battered Third in Command, making his way slowly to his chair. He coughed, still smiling his manic bloody grin. "Oh, I wouldn't miss this for the world, Ben. Carry on, please."

Kingston's sharp black eyes returned to Maura. "You've caused us quite a bit of trouble." He looked at the thug behind her. "Where did you find her?"

"Hoult told us to scout everything open with internet access within a mile radius of her exit point from the river."

Even knowing that it was his job, hearing Nicholas was responsible for her capture hurt more than Maura expected. Thomas finally spoke. "Where's the audio from the bug, MacLaren?"

She raised her eyebrows. "I don't know what you mean, Mr Pine." Maura could barely look at him, feeling the familiar heat of shame spread through her, this time for her betrayal of him.

He rolled his eyes. "Search her." He told the thug, who roughly pawed her before finding the thumb drive in her pocket. "Hoult, take this and make sure it's there." Maura's gaze turned chilly as Nicholas took the small device, his eyes avoiding hers.

"Now then," cut in Kingston. "What to do with the three of you..."

"I've told you everything!" Interrupted Kennedy, blood trickling from his broken mouth. "The body mics she placed on Mr. Bender are the only evidence of the transactions-"

"Shut the fuck up, Kennedy!" Hardy shouted, only to get two brutal punches to the gut for his trouble.

"-there's nothing else. MacLaren was responsible for the echo file, no one outside of this room has any information on the transactions-"

"Goddamnit it, Kennedy! Seriously shut the fuck up!" Maura hissed, enraged at the weak bastard. "Just shut-" Taking a backhand to her face, she knocked back against the wall from the blow, awkwardly wiping the blood dripping down her chin on her shoulder.

 "Not that we blame you for being a tad aggrieved." First In Command smiled congenially. "Your senior agent gave you up in a heartbeat. The fool attempted to negotiate a ten million pound payoff to lead us to our security problem. I must admit, you two were a surprise...at any rate, the issue is taken care of." He nodded to one of the gs, who stepped to Kennedy and raised his gun to the screaming agent's head. The scream cut off abruptly as the gun fired.

"One down," chuckled Bender, the words a little garbled from his damaged throat.

Maura looked despairingly at Hardy, trying to smile.  He eyed her, then shrugged at the men seated at the table. "MacLaren doesn't know shit, she never did. No need to kill her. She's still useful to you alive." 

Kingston chuckled mirthlessly. "You know Hardy, I actually like you. So this will be quick-"

"Wait! Wait- " Maura pushed forward, "I'll work for you! Just let him live. There's nothing he can prove without the files, and everything's gone. Please, just let him-" She was cut off by another backhand, as four men forced a valiantly struggling Hardy to his knees.

Bender was already hobbling over, eyes alight and eager. Reaching up, he twirled a knife expertly on his bloody fingers. "I think there's a poetic justice here. I'm going to finish you with _her_ knife," he gloated, nodding his head at Maura. She shrieked and launched herself at him, only to be taken down to the floor by two of the thugs. Before she could draw breath to beg for his survival, Hardy's body thudded down beside her, spraying her with his life's blood on impact. Maura began to cry, looking into his fading eyes as Hardy gurgled through his ruined throat. 

"I'm so sorry, Hardy." She sobbed. Unable to comfort him with her hands still bound behind her, Maura struggled forward and put her head against his, listening to his final struggles and repeating, "it's all right. It's all right now...it's all right, Hardy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I felt terrible for killing Hardy. He turned out to be so likeable, despite my best attempts to make him a bastard.


	12. A Pleasure To Meet You, Morrighann

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thomas is a hurt and vengeful asshole, and Maura is not what she seems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: discussion of domestic violence.

Maura lay next to Hardy's body, still whispering soothing nonsense until two of the thugs pulled her upright and the others removed him. Kingston was staring at her with a look of distaste, while Bender was still grinning openly. "You murderous fuck!" she hissed, shaking with rage.

Third in Command threw back his head, laughing a rusty chuckle from his damaged windpipe. "I hope you don't gag her, Pine. I'm quite looking forward to the screaming. What's first?"

The blazing ice blue of Pine's eyes hadn't lessened in intensity. "Kingston, may I have the room, please?"

"Of course, dear boy." First in Command's black eyes were still dancing with amusement, but he rose and gestured to Bender. "Come along, Michael. Let's get your wrist in a cast."

Comprehension and rage swept over Bender's face at the same time. "What? Oh, no, I'm here to watch this cunt get what's coming to her. And I want it to last as long and painfully as possible. Pine certainly has the skill set for it. And I'm GOING TO WATCH!" Veins bulged from his neck as he looked from Maura to his partners.

Kingston's eyes rolled. "Don't be a child. You should be more concerned with the fact that a girl who weighs, what- nine stone? Just beat you within an inch of your life."

"I want to see some PUNISHMENT!" Bender howled, pounding his undamaged fist on the table.

First in Command turned dark and terrifying. "Walk out that door right now as a man, or I'll send you out wrapped in plastic like the rest." Michael's unhinged eyes stared at Maura all the way to the door, where he gave her a bloody grin.

"You want I should stay, sir?" One of the thugs who'd found her spoke up.

Pine made a dismissive gesture with one elegant hand, and the room emptied, shutting the door to deathly quiet. Exhausted, Maura leaned against the wall, trying to keep the weight off her knife wound. All the hits Bender got in earlier in the evening at the houseboat were making themselves known. It was almost impossible to believe anything violent ever happened in that room- the elegant furnishings  and polished wood showing none of the blood spilled that night. Maura couldn't bring herself to look at Thomas, she was so ashamed of betraying him, even though there was no question she had to. So, she watched his hands instead, the long, elegant fingers idly toying with her knife. The blade that sliced Hardy's throat. The knife that had spilled blood from them both. He handled it with delicacy, clearly remembering how very sharp it was. Two fingers raised and beckoned to her. 'This is it, then.' Maura thought. Stiffening her spine, her seawater eyes rose to his and she nodded, walking to where he sat. Thomas made a twirling motion with his hand, and brow furrowed, Maura obeyed, turning her back to him. 'Maybe he wants a matching slice to Hardy's.' To her shock, she felt him tugging at her bonds, cutting her free from them without a single nick. Shakily turning to face him, Maura rubbed her wrists, watching him. He was still contemplating her knife, spinning it on his palm, checking it's balance. Pine's eyes suddenly raised to her, glowing with so much rage that she started shaking. His mouth was a slash in his white face, jaw clenched. Thomas lifted the knife, and she let out a sigh, going to her knees. Maybe this was the only way he could have her atone for the hurt and betrayal, if so, she'd take her end with some dignity. Keeping her chin high, Maura's sorrowful gaze locked on his. They stared at each other for some time, until he suddenly clenched his teeth and threw the knife violently, lodging it deep in the walnut paneling. "Get her out of here!" Thug 1 and Thug 2 did so, yanking her off her knees and out the door.

To her shock, Maura ended up in Pine's office, locked in the connecting bathroom after they removed anything that could be used as a weapon. Removing the bandage on her stab wound, she sighed to see it broken open again, bleeding sluggishly. Using the suspiciously well-stocked first aid kit she found under the sink, Maura patched her injuries. Still no sound from outside in the office, but when she checked the door, a fist slammed back on the other side. Shrugging, the girl shucked off her borrowed scrubs from the animal hospital and took a long shower. Scrubbing and shampooing mindlessly, she tried to remove Hardy's life's blood from her face, still remembering his fading eyes. She daringly looked though the small closet and borrowed a shirt from Thomas. There was nothing left to do, so Maura swallowed two paracetamol from Pine's kit and fell asleep on a towel laid on the floor.

Waking mid-morning when the sun shone directly in her eyes, Maura sat up, blearily surprised to be alive. She took two more paracetamol from Pine's stash and tried to limber up, stubbornly stretching against the screaming protest of her muscles. Looking for her bloody scrub pants, Maura was dismayed to find them gone. 'Beautiful,' she thought bitterly. 'Someone came in here and I didn't even stir? That was likely my only chance to escape.' A pale green sundress and underwear lay in the scrub's place. For one bitter moment, Maura wondered if the outfit was borrowed from the Corporation whorehouse. But closer examination showed the tags were still on the outfit, which turned out to fit perfectly. 'Thomas, of course,' she thought. Brushing her hair and teeth, the girl ran an exploratory tongue over her teeth, delighted to find them all intact. Her lower lip was swollen with a cut or two, some discoloration on her cheekbone. Maura was shocked the damage wasn't worse. 

Squaring her shoulders, Maura knocked on the door leading to the office. "Hello?" Her voice sounded raspy from disuse. 

"The door is unlocked," the cold voice of Thomas replied. Willing her hand to stop shaking, Maura turned the doorknob, walking out to her fate. Thomas was seated behind his desk, looking at his computer as if it were any other workday. He was shaved, in a fresh suit. Stepping further into the room, Maura just stood there, not sure what to do. The eyes that finally lifted to examine her were still the Arctic blue of last night. "Sit down."

She did as she was told, crossing her legs and putting her hands in her lap. Those frigid eyes ran the now-familiar circuit of her face and body. Pine was pleased to see that her lovely face was surprisingly uninjured, but the contrast made the violent blue and purple bruises and cuts on her arms, back and legs even more startling. 

Thomas looked back to his monitor, mouth twisting in a sardonic smile. "Morrighan MacLeod." He looked to to see her expression set in stone, though the color was draining from her face. "Named after the Irish witch of strife and warfare, how appropriate. Raised in a Belfast slum by a vicious drunk of a father, mother was a prostitute." He continued, his voice dripping with contempt, "an auspicious beginning, you pathetic little chav."

Maura refused to rise to his bait, keeping expressionless. But she could feel the old sense of shame blazing down her back like a bucket of steaming water.

"Escaped your Belfast hovel with a swimming and academic scholarship to-" An expression of utter distaste covered his handsome face- "to Oxford." Maura finally cracked, a spiteful smile on her face as she stared at the Cambridge scholar across the desk from her. He recovered from his disgust and continued. "Recruited right out of college into the UN Intelligence Task Force. Two lovers in college." Her eyes narrowed. Thomas looked up and that hateful smile turned up the corner of his mouth again. "The Jaguar Holdings mission is a deep cover. Aside from the two senior agents, only one other person at the UN knows where you are. This man." He pushed a photo over to her, Maura's eyes widened, recognizing the official she'd reported to on her Doomsday Cult assignment. "He died this morning in a car accident." Her breathing became shallow, Maura fighting to get enough air into her lungs. 

"That was unnecessarily vicious, even for you." She attempted to speak calmly.

His chilly eyes looked up at her again. "I dislike loose ends. Our interrogation of Kennedy was very thorough." 

Maura shook her head, bewildered. There was nothing in the UN records about her family, certainly nothing Kennedy could access.

Thomas continued, "A brother and three sisters, though Jimmy's dead now, isn't he? Another sister, Meghan with a brain injury at Tavish Medical, a four-star long term care center, quite expensive."

No matter how measured she tried to keep her breathing, Maura struggled to get a full lungful of air. "Is this going somewhere, Mr Pine?"

He leaned back. "You provide for their care with your UN paychecks, extracurricular hacking projects, and I'm guessing your former position here at the Corporation. Abigail and Carin, doing well in Sixth Form at St. Martin's Prep. I'm sure you'd congratulate them, if they knew you were still alive." His frosty gaze dropped to her chest, watching Maura's labored breathing. "When did your dear Da decide you were old enough for whoring?"

Maura stared at him, her green eyes frosty. "About 14. He wasn't happy when I declined the opportunity."

Thomas idly played with a pen, "you could have just left," he paused, looking her over with distaste, "you murderous little slag."

"Yes," she agreed, "and then he would have picked one of my little sisters, someone too young to fight back." 

Looking her over, Thomas could see her lips were white, struggling to get enough air. "I can only imagine your guilt, your younger brother Jimmy killed, trying to protect you." He idly clicked the cursor on the screen, scrolling down. "Your father beat him to death, correct?"

Maura could feel the dark creeping in from the corners of her eyes, and she tried to force herself to stop the violent thudding of her heart, feeling like it was about to burst through her chest. Thomas shook his head in a mockery of sympathy. "The police in that pitiful slum weren't really inclined to press charges against Brodie MacLeod. Too much work for trash like your family. So you buried Jimmy and didn't do a thing about it, did you?"

She blinked her green eyes rapidly, trying to force her dimming vision to work again. "I- I tried, I made my Mum move, took the girls-"

"But Da found you again, didn't he? Because your sentimental Mum missed him so much? And then he beat Meghan so badly that he caused her irreparable brain damage, correct? Such a shame. So you murdered your own father."

Maura stilled, then took a deep breath that at last filled her lungs. "Are we at the crux of your 'This Is Your Life' game, Mr Pine? You think I'm ashamed of killing my father? When I found him standing over Meghan, I stabbed him through the throat with the same knife that nicked you. My only regret is not doing it sooner."

"Ah, but in front of the other girls, didn't you? That's why you've let them think you're dead. They think their sister Morrighan is a murderous whore." He smiled in a mockery of sympathy.

"Yes. You'd know something about being a monster, wouldn't you, Thomas? Your hands are red with the blood of dozens, if not hundreds of people. You are fucking _drenched_ in it. You _bathe_ in blood! My sisters can think I'm evil for the rest of their lives, as long as they're allowed a good long one!" Maura was half out of her chair, eyes blazing with hatred.

He suddenly chuckled. _"There's_ the vicious goddess of death and destruction. A pleasure to meet you, Morrighan." Thomas leaned forward, his voice was poisonously cold. "And if you'd like to keep your dear sisters enjoying that good, long life you're paying for, you'll obey every single. Thing. I. Say." 

It's almost as if he expected what happened next, when Maura exploded across the desk, going for his throat. The needle held ready in his hand went into her upper arm, and she was unconscious before she could even moan.

 


	13. Helplessness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruised pride is likely even worse than a bruised heart for men like Thomas Pine. Now that Maura's managed to do both, what is her fate?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thomas is not nice. Trigger warning for unwilling drug use. This chapter starts a period of heartlessness for Thomas, though there's many lovely little moments and actual plot as well. Just warning you, so you can decide how to proceed.

* * *

Kingston watched his Second In Command, lips pinched with disapproval. "This is completely unlike you, Thomas."

Pine looked up from his drink. "How so?"

"Getting...soft." Kingston spat the word with distaste. "Letting this creature live." The two were sitting alone together that afternoon in the Boardroom.

Laughing, Thomas took another drink of Jameson. "You think that's what this is, mercy? Affection?"

Raising an eyebrow, First in Command looked over his glass at his protege. "What do you call it, Thomas?"

Absently swirling his scotch, Pine lifted his gaze, his blue eyes gone polar again. "Everyone fears something very specific. That's how to cause the most suffering during the interrogation phase, finding the one thing that terrifies them the most."

"And what does MacLaren fear?"

Pine smiled and finished his drink. "Helplessness."

 

Groaning, Maura woke and rolled over. "This is the second time I've been drugged in two days," she groaned, "God, I hope this isn't turning into a habit." She rubbed her face, hating the soft and woozy way her body responded. Trying to get out of bed, she fell to the floor, trying to fight off a sudden bout of dizziness. She'd seen plenty of drugs flow through the tattered neighborhood of her childhood, saw many friends and family fall prey to the false comfort of a powder or the needle. But Maura never touched a thing. The idea of being weak and unable to protect herself was utterly horrifying- she barely drank. Clumsily getting to her knees, Maura sat still for a moment, trying to gather some strength to stand. She looked around. Still wearing the green sundress, she was in a bedroom that recognized as a guest suite in Pine's house. The fading light outside was slanting against the west wall, telling her it was nearly evening. "I've been out all day," she sighed.

The bedroom door suddenly opened, Thomas walking in to stand over her, looking down expressionlessly. "There's a dress hanging in the closet, put it on and get dressed for the evening."

Flushing, Maura put a hand on the bedpost and forced herself to stand. 'I'm done looking up at him from my knees,' she thought bitterly. Standing unsteadily, she put her hand on the bedpost for support. Hands in his suit pockets, Thomas watched her, not offering to help. When she finally looked at him again, his eyes were still the silver-blue she'd come to dread. 

"You have thirty minutes," he said, straightening a cuff under his jacket sleeve and walking out of the bedroom.

"This is fucking insanity!" Maura raged to herself in the shower, turning it up full volume so nothing could be heard outside the bathroom. "Dressing for _dinner_? What the hell is he playing at?" Nonetheless, she sullenly dried and curled her long hair. Finding her makeup bag on the counter, she assumed they'd combed through the houseboat. 'I know you were disappointed,' she thought with a sneer. 'As if I'd have anything that mattered to me where _you_ could touch it.' Defiantly, she went with a full "night face," cats-eye eyeliner, candy-cotton pink lips and extra mascara. The dress in the closet was beautiful and made her heart sink: full tulle skirt that fell to mid-thigh and a long-sleeved black sheer top glittering with crucially placed jet-black beading. For a horrible moment, Maura wondered if he was taking her to the Corporation brothel, dressed the way she was. The feeling persisted as she looked for some underwear- there was nothing attached to the hanger, no other clothes in the closet or dresser drawers. She was shutting the last one as Thomas walked back into the room in a beautifully tailored charcoal grey suit with a blue silk tie.

His expression was impassive as he looked her up and down. The sheer long sleeves covered most of her bruises, making the damage from yesterday less noticeable to an outside eye. "You're ready. Come."

"Wait- there's no underwear here, I need-" Maura tried tugging the dress skirt down, but that only made the sheer top slip and show more of her breasts. She looked up to see a corner of his thin mouth turn up.

"You're wearing everything you're allowed. Now, come." Thomas moved behind her, forcing her by proximity to walk out and down the stairs to the front door. Brusquely ushering her into the large Mercedes, he told the driver to head towards Convent Gardens. Maura shook her head at the unreality of it all. Her two senior agents murdered in front of her yesterday, and now she was dressed like a tart and driving to _dinner_? As if this was a date? The image of Hardy's brown eyes closing as she pressed her forehead against his made her eyes fill with tears. Looking away from Thomas and out the window, she forced herself to stop. Crying over Hardy wouldn't bring him back, and she couldn't afford to show weakness in front of her- boss? Lover? Ex-lover, she corrected herself, he'd never touch her again. Brought back to the present as the door opened, Maura looked up at Pine, holding out his hand for her to take.

The cold and indifferent Second in Command felt his breath halt for a moment. The unshed tears in Maura's seagreen eyes as she looked up at him glittered in the light from the restaurant, making her almost supernaturally beautiful. 'Like the treacherous whore witch she was named after,' he thought, hardening his expression as he not-quite yanked her out of the car. He'd brought her to L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon.The small spurt of pleasure Maura felt was drowned in the shouts across the quiet from from a thicket of drunk Algerians and, as they drew closer, Kingston and Bender. Ignoring the stares of diners as they passed, Pine smiled graciously at their guests as he seated Maura between him and one of the escorts brought along as a "date." As Thomas ordered for them both and began jesting with some of the men, her attention was drawn by the stare of the blonde next to her. 

"You're new," the escort said, guzzling her glass of champagne. Maura's brow furrowed in confusion, then she shook her head. 

"Oh, I'm not one of- I mean, I don't work for the Corporation."

"You're freelance?" The escort wrinkled her brow. "Tried that for a while. Too much trouble with getting beaten up. Not that Mr. Pine would do that. He's a Greek God, that one." She lowered her voice and gave Maura a nudge with her shoulder. "Mr. Bender, on the other hand..." She took another deep swig from her glass.

"Can't you- you can say 'no' can't you? If you don't want to do- you don't want that client?" Maura was still trying to edge her dress down without adding a deeper cleavage up top.

The escort's blue eyes widened. "Some guys, sure. But the Big Three?" She shuddered. Sticking out a long-nailed hand, she offered "I'm Daisy."

Smiling, "Maura," she answered, shaking back. The subject of blooms made her look up to see Flower staring across the table at her in hatred. She was currently wedged on the lap of the man who seemed to be the head of the Algerian group- Nezzar, wasn't it? Maura thought. 

As dinner dragged on, the group got louder and louder, until the maitre de came over to beg the drunken table to quiet down. Seeing Bender's red face grow belligerent, Pine quickly stood and pulled the man aside, Maura watching a discreet exchange of money. "You!" Nezzar shouted across the table. "Green-eyed girl! Come over here and sit on my lap."

Her head shot up, lips thinned. "Thank you Mr. Nezzar, but surely you wouldn't want your _beautiful_ date to feel jealous?" Maura spitefully enjoyed the glare from Flower as Nezzar laughed, roughly bouncing her up and down.

"Funny girl!" He approved, "but get up and come over here, now." Nezzar's face suddenly took on the manic blankness she'd seen many times on Bender's face. Thomas watched as Maura refused to look to him for help, staring instead at the man across the table. The laughter died down, everyone feeling the tension and watching for what to do next.

"Come now, Nezzar," Thomas slipped smoothly back into his chair. "You wouldn't insult me by luring my dining companion away from me tonight, now would you?" He smiled easily, "how many women can you fit in those massive arms of yours? Surely there's enough here at the table?" A grin spread across the man's face and he laughed, sending most of his fellow diners into nervous chuckles as well.

Maura's head still ached from the lingering effects of the drug from that morning, and she was grateful to see Kingston stand, signaling the dinner was over. But as the valet pulled their car around, she was dismayed to see Thomas invite some of their guests to ride with them. Maura tried to slip in last to be next to the door, but Pine pulled her on to his lap, anchoring her with one arm. She sat stiffly against him, trying to stay out of range from the wandering hands of some of their passengers. She was miserably aware of how good Thomas smelled, the crisp notes of his aftershave linking with the scotch he'd had instead of dessert. His muscled thighs shifted under her still-tender ass and she automatically leaned on one hip, trying to relieve some of the soreness. His arm yanked her firmly back to nestle her aching bottom directly against his pelvis. She could see his jaw clench, a muscle moving in his cheek as Pine's dick began to swell under the warm pressure of her ass against it. 'Nice to know I still have an impact,' she thought.

Maura's worst fears choked in her throat as the car turned into a private driveway. Judging from the chatter around her, this was the brothel the Corporation owned. Her hand pressed against the waistline of her little dress, where the steak knife she'd stolen off the table at dinner nestled. The place was nothing she recognized from her childhood, when she would scuttle through dirty, reeking rooms to find her mother, passed out drunk under some stranger.

Some of the men headed upstairs immediately with their choices, but the Big Three, Nazzar and his lieutenants stayed in the comfortable chairs, pouring more scotch and toasting themselves. Maura listened as carefully as her throbbing headache would allow, but she couldn't figure out which country won the bidding over Algeria's assets.

"I'm bored!" Flower whined adorably, "doesn't anybody have Party Favors?"

Maura kept her eye roll to a minimum, but Thomas spotted it nonetheless. Signaling one of the bodyguards, he sent the man over to a cabinet. He returned with a small case, handing it to Thomas.

"Of course we do, darling," he soothed, opening the case. Thomas took one of the pink pills and handed the case to be passed around to the excited group. He shook his head the box was offered to him, sending it away. "Take this," he ordered Maura, handing her untouched champagne glass to her.

"No," Maura said instantly, shaking her head.

The look in Pine's face was the one from this morning, when he'd laid bare the secrets of her childhood. "I didn't ask, Pet. Open your mouth."

"No, thank you Sir," she hoped the title would soften him.

Maura was mistaken. If anything, his gaze became even more glacial. "Do you remember our discussion this morning, Pet? Are you so selfish as to not think of the well-being of others?" Some of the group was watching avidly, unable to hear Pine's threat, but Maura's response was immediate. Opening her full lips, she stared at him with hatred. "Stick out your tongue." She did, and Thomas placed the pill there. "Now drink." Her seething gaze never left his as she drank and swallowed. Catching her chin between his fingers, Pine whispered "If I kiss your lying mouth and the pill is still there, someone's getting a visit in Belfast. Tonight." Shuddering, Maura swallowed again. Thomas chuckled, kissing her harshly and murmuring in her ear. "That was your last chance. Attempt to disobey me again and there will be correction."

Ignoring the laughter and noise around her, Maura drank when Pine told her to. But her brain was working feverishly, trying to analyze what he'd forced on her. The warmth and tingling was her first symptom, and then to her horror, Maura realized she was rubbing her thighs together. She flushed as Thomas looked down with a malicious smile. Running her hand over her suddenly sweaty forehead, Maura realized that horrid little pink pill was ecstasy. 'Focus,' she thought desperately, not realizing her thighs were moving again. Looking around the circle, she wasn't alone. Flower was straddling one of the Algerian lieutenants, humping him vigorously as he talked to Nazzar. Two of the other guests were kissing each other while their "dates" were on their knees, giving them oral sex. Maura nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Pine's warm hand sliding up her thigh as he was still talking with Kingston. She tried to stop him by desperately locking her knees together, but he squeezed over a especially nasty bruise until Maura gave in. She could feel everything- the roughness of his fingers on her smooth skin, the heat of his palm, and her treacherous pussy beginning to moisten against her will. The talking and laughing around her blurred and faded as Maura could feel her pulse in her temples, beating in her throat and most disconcertingly, in her rapidly swelling nether lips. 

"You're sweating, Pet." She closed her eyes, trying to swallow down her moan at the sound of his sibilant purr in her ear. Her nails dug into her thighs as one of his fingers started tracing her wet lips with a maddeningly light touch, just enough to keep stoking her discomfort. He mockingly pressed his other hand on her forehead and laughed, "Moist on top and moist below, sweet slut."

"Could I please have a glass of water?" she whispered. Thomas reached into his glass of Jameson, pulling out an ice cube and putting it between his lips as she gasped. feeling two thick fingers slide into her. 

Running his fingers into her ebony curls, he pulled her lips up to his, running the ice cube along the seam of her mouth. The sparks from his lips made her eagerly open her mouth to his. The chilled water soothed her hot lips and her dry mouth, Maura's tongue tracing his, chasing the moisture.

Kingston's hateful tone intruded into her daze, "Pine, really. Take your whore upstairs. You're making a scene."

Thomas chuckled indulgently, pulling his fingers from her pussy, looking at her while he sucked his fingers clean. Maura was so humiliated that she could barely breathe, even as her hips canted up as if seeking his fingers again. He stood, taking her hand and pulling her up fast enough that she stumbled and fell against him. For a mindless moment, she rubbed her breasts against his chest as he ran his hand over her bare ass under the dress, cruelly squeezing her bruised bottom. 

Pulling her up the stairs, Maura numbly watched him unlock a door and push her inside. It looked like a medium level hotel room. "Take off your dress." Pine's cold and measured voice came right by her ear, sending goosebumps down her back, making her shiver. Thomas unzipped her dress, walking past her to pull down the sheet. Even in the middle of her drug-fueled urge to hump against his leg, the impersonal room made her feel like a prostitute handling a transaction. His brows drew together in a frown as he turned to see her still standing there. "Why are you still dressed?"

"Thomas," she managed, "could we please go back to your house?"

His hand pulled her to the bed, stepping behind her to yank down her dress. His voice was sin with a razor blade edge. "But Pet, I was so sure you'd feel right at home here, like mother, like daughter? Not to worry, I'm sure you'll come for me here just as eagerly."

Maura stumbled back a step, feeling the lava flow of shame and rage pour over her face, flowing down her neck and chest. Thomas pulled her back, pushing her down on the bed and spreading her legs. The center of her would have moaned with relief if it could have as he pushed his fingers back into her, tapping her clit with his thumb. Her brain was raging, hating him for comparing her to her mother. But it took only a few minutes for Thomas to bring her to the point of coming, her grateful hips rising up- until he pulled his fingers away. "Taste yourself, Pet." He bit her shoulder as he whispered to her. A whimper escaped around his long fingers in her mouth. He chuckled, standing up and taking off his clothes. Maura's mouth actually watered, looking at his rising cock. Straddling her, Thomas took the silky length of her hair, wrapping it around his hand and pulling her to his pelvis. "You know what to do, my little whore." Her mind raged at her to stop as Maura obediently opened her mouth, greedily sucking him without complaint. The dim light in the room outlined his dark form towering over her as his hips moved with her mouth. His thumb ran over her jawline, feeling the flex and movement of his cock in her mouth. When she was bold enough to run her hands up his thighs to cup his firm ass, he pulled back, making her whine as she reached for him.

"You can't keep your hands to yourself Pet? I'll have to restrain you." Moving to grab his tie off the floor, Thomas stepped on her dress, kicking something hard with his foot. As he turned to her with something gripped in his fist, Maura's heart sank. She'd forgotten all about her purloined knife from the restaurant in the middle of the ecstasy-laced madness.  "Now, what were you planning to do with _this_ , little girl?" Thomas purred, the cold light back in his eyes as he rapidly tied her arms above her head. Maura's lips opened to speak, but Pine laid the blade across them, hard enough to let a bead of blood well up on her lower lip. "Don't bother. Whores have other uses for their mouths than talking. And that's what you are now, Pet. You were planning to kill me? Do you think that would have saved your family?" He grinned, pulling out his iPhone. Pushing the button for photos, he set it on slide and laid it next to her pillow so she could see it. Maura's breath caught in her throat, seeing a photo of Abigail and Carin, obviously on their way to school, laughing together in the prep school uniforms. The next picture showed them at their foster parent's house, in the backyard chasing each other. A sob was trying to break through her throat, but Maura swallowed it down. Her hips were still mindlessly trying to rise and rub against Thomas' long leg. Laughing, he pushed his leg between hers and urged her hips to move against his hard thigh. The lower half of her body moved while she stared at his phone screen, now showing Meghan in a wheelchair, sitting out in the sun in the garden at Tavish Medical. The time stamp on the photos showed her they were taken that day. The next photo made her breath catch- Meghan was looking at her nurse and smiling- actually smiling! Maura hadn't seen a single photo of her Meghan since the day she disappeared where there'd been a smile on her sister's face. A large hand came down and took the phone away, her longing eyes following it until Pine's face came into view. "Attempt to kill me, attempt to commit suicide, it's all the same, Pet. They die. One by one." He threw the phone onto the pile of his clothes and moved back to brutally press his leg against her desperate pussy. Thomas made her look at the glistening pool of arousal on his thigh from her greedy center. Yanking her head back up, Thomas showed her the knife again. A restaurant blade would never be as sharp as hers, but it was certainly enough to do some damage. Shifting his hips, he pushed into her, shoving in inch by inch as a grateful moan escaped Maura. He laughed again, "like mother, like daughter," Pine reminded her cruelly. Releasing her hair, he threw one leg over his arm to push deeper, using the other to trail the sharp blade lightly over her face, trailing down Maura's neck and idly circling one nipple. The chill of the blade instantly tightened the pink peak, making him grin unkindly again. His wrist flipped, and the knife thudded into the bedside table, driven halfway in from the force of his throw.

Maura desperately looked into his eyes, trying to find any kindness, anything other than the polar blue he'd worn since Kennedy told him what she was. A moan escaped her as he pushed harder inside her, rotating his hips experimentally until he found that spot she'd never thought existed before him. "Oh!" The girl moaned, wincing as Thomas laughed at her. His lips dropped to one breast as his hand squeezed the other. Dropping her face into the shelter of her arm, Maura tried to stop the litany of moans and pleas whispering from her lips. 'It felt like rape, it should be rape,' she thought despairingly, 'but not rape, because even without the cursed Ecstasy I know I'd respond like this to Thomas, I can't-' He'd pulled both legs over his elbows, leaning over her to drive into the fluttering tissue of her cervix and whispering filthy praise and encouragement in her ear. "So beautiful, my sweet whore...so tight and sweet...God, I believe I'm rubbing against your belly button from the inside...you need to come, don't you, Pet?" Her pink mouth was open in a desperate, soundless plea, arching her breasts helplessly against his sweating chest as he thrust and pulled, rotating his hips against her. Dipping his fingers in the silky juice slipping around his cock, Pine idly painted her clitoris with it, pulling it between two slippery fingers as Maura gasped. "Do you want to come, Pet? Do you want me to order you to give me what's mine? Hmmm?" She could never think straight when he spoke to her like that, a poisonous purr laced with a filthy promise that Maura desperately needed. She yelped as he pulled her clit harder. "Do you? Tell me!"

Throwing her head back against his sharp teeth biting her earlobe, Maura gasped "Yes! Yes, please Sir, please may I-"  Pine grinned into her hair. She was so close, so close to the most powerful orgasm of her life. He could feel the coil of her pussy against him, like a snake twining around his cock, eager to squeeze against him. God- he'd never felt anything like her sweet little cunt when it was ready to explode. Feeling his own end boiling up the base of his cock, Thomas yanked out sharply, pulsing hot streams of come across her flat tummy and clutching thighs. He slapped the flat of the blade against her clit, the chill of the metal stopping her orgasm dead.

He leaned close to her ear again and whispered, "No."

A cry of anguish pulled out of Maura before she could stop it- more than needing the orgasm, but the sorrow that he hated her enough to be so cruel. She was right when she'd admitted to Hardy that she cared about him more than she should...she loved him. And it was going to be the death of her. She jumped as she felt him throw something on her breasts, then brusquely cutting her bonds with the knife. "Get dressed," was all he said, putting on his clothes and leaving the room. She heard him tell the bodyguard outside, "Take her back and lock her in the guest room."

Pulling her arms down and shakily sitting up, Maura felt whatever Pine threw on her chest fall to her lap. Looking down, she saw a handful of crumpled £50 notes. Throwing them on the bed and pushing the money away with her foot, Maura started crying, her entire body burning from the inside out in shame.

 


	14. I Can't Have You Causing Trouble Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thomas is kind. Sort of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for terrible childhood memories, child abuse.

Maura tossed and turned that night, her lower half desperate for relief and skin painfully sensitive from the ecstasy. She could feel the texture of the sheets, the air current as the heater kicked in. Crossly flopping on to her stomach, Maura groaned. Her denied clitoris was pressing against the sheet, if she could just rub a little harder... "No!" She hissed, "I control this body- me! Not that pill pushing bastard." Rolling on to her back again, she clenched her fists.

It had been years since she had this nightmare, but here she was again in their squalid living room, sixteen years old. One of the twins was teasing the other about something and Maura was trying to make dinner while drilling Meghan on history.

"History's so booring!" Meghan complained, "I wan' at do computer magic with you!"

"Flunkin out o' school at 11 ain' magical at'all, Miss Meghan." Maura laughed, kissing her sister on top of the head. "You're brighter than me, there's the truth of it. So back to it, William the Conquerer invaded-"

The pounding on the door cut the study session short, their landlord yelling for the rent. Maura gave him everything she had from her two jobs, but it wasn't enough. "Yer Ma's over at Jim's Pub," he growled, counting her money, "go get the rest from her before the slag drinks it up." Maura's lips thinned, but she  kissed the twins and told Meghan to finish dinner.

Racing down the street, she tried to steel herself for entering the latest hovel her mother used for meeting her "gentlemen," as Ma insisted on calling them, giggling coyly. Big Jim stepped in front of her, grinning lewdly. "Morrighan, lass! You're finally ready to go ta' work!" 

"No sir," Maura moved around his pinching fingers. "Where's my Ma?" Digging her mother out from the filthy sheets and dragging her drunk parent home took another half hour. Climbing the stairs, Maura froze. The door was open- the door was never open she taught the girls that first thing when she was gone you lock the door- the sound of the twins terrified sobbing made her drop her mother and slam through the door. Fuckin' Da' the bastard found them again! Damned- Then Maura saw her Meghan, her dear girl but the blood coming from Meghan's sweet ear she- "oh, no, not Meghan not-"

Thomas stood in the door, watching Maura thrash in the bed, moaning. Her forehead was beaded with sweat, her mouth twisted in anguish. "No, no!" Her voice was so  small, like a child's, "Oh no, not my Meghan, no! Wake up, A leanbh, doan, doan you lay there, sweet girl, no..." She began crying softly in her sleep.

Thomas suddenly found himself at her bedside, his hand out. Brushing the inky curls off her wet cheeks, he whispered, "Ssssh, now. Hush. It's only a dream. Only a dream, darling."

Maura gasped and sat up, her heart thudding as she looked wildly around the room. She was alone, the room still and quiet, the door closed. But she could _smell_ Thomas, the crisp note of his cologne and the slight whiff of pine and ocean salt that seemed to be his own scent. But she was alone.

She was left to her own devices in the guest room all day, pacing back and forth. Pine's thug dropped trays of food on the desk three times and left without speaking. Maura thought about jumping him and taking his gun, but seeing a shadow move in the hall, she realized Thomas doubled her security detail. "Bastard!" She growled. She was just eyeing the television and wondering if she could dismantle enough components to make a rough version of a cell phone when the door opened that night.

He eyed the pacing girl, shadows smudged under her eyes. She looked at him resentfully, wrapped in a sheet because he'd taken her black dress and left her nothing to wear. "You need a shower," he said disapprovingly. 

"Forgive me," she put just the slightest edge of sarcasm in her apology. 

His brows drew together. "Go bathe. There will be clothes on the bed for you when you get out." Thomas checked his Rolex. "You have thirty minutes." Waiting until he'd left, Maura angrily gave a two finger salute to the door. 

Nonetheless, she was dressed and ready when he returned. Pine frowned as he looked her over. He might be pushing his luck with Bender, but Thomas enjoyed torturing Third in Command. Maura was beautiful in a well-tailored sleeveless cream dress, mid-thigh with matching heels. The gorgeous clothes seemed to help armor her as well, she looked at him coolly, not flinching from his inspection. "Come." Maura passed him without looking, walking down the stairs and waiting in the foyer. "Put this on," Pine said, wrapping a green pashmina scarf around her shoulders.Taking a pale cashmere coat off the rack, he held it out. Still stubbornly silent. Maura slid her arms into the sleeves. She'd never had a coat as nice as this, smoothing her hand over the soft fabric. 

"Is this the rest of the luggage, Mr Pine?" Thug #1 was lifting several bags from the hallway. 

"That will be all." His cool voice was just behind her, Maura groaning internally as goosebumps sprouted down her neck. His long fingers wrapped around her upper arm. "Let's go, Pet." He smiled as she stiffened. 

They were back in the Mercedes, and Maura's heart sank. Was this another trip to the whorehouse? She didn't think she could feel any lower than she did last night. Instead, the lights of Heathrow Airport came into view. The driver took an early exit and they ended up a private airstrip used for corporate jets. Pulling up to a Lear, Maura looked at Thomas as he romoved her from the car. "Where are we going?" Pine walked her up the stairs and into the roomy cabin. She tried again. "Thomas, where are we going?" His mouth turned up, just one corner. 

"Have a drink." He handed her a glass of wine, seating her on one of the comfortable leather couches. Watching her pink lips part to refuse, Pine pulled out his phone and threw it in her lap. The first pictures were taken on a lacrosse field, the twins in sports gear, but Maura's breath caught in her throat when Meghan's picture came into view. Her sister was asleep in bed, the photographer had to be in the room. 

"Drink it," his voice was cold and indifferent. Maura took the glass and drank, her eyes blazing at him over the rim. Pine chuckled briefly, pouring himself a Jameson. He sat across from her, opening his jacket. 

"Are you going to tell me our destination now?" Maura asked, sipping her wine every time his eyes landed on the glass. 

"Not really your concern, Pet." Thomas said smoothly. "I just brought you aboard early to get you...settled before the others arrive."

"Others?" She rubbed her eyes, a sudden surge of weariness making her head feel fuzzy.

"Drink, darling." She felt his warm hand gently push the glass to her lips, forcing her to swallow the last of the wine.

Realization hit her just as he quickly took the glass from her nerveless fingers. "Damn you..." She managed the two words before sliding sideways on the couch. Thomas sat next to her, lifting her head on to his lap, covering her with a blanket. 

"Get some rest, darling." Thomas soothed, "you need it." So softly that her fuzzy mind wasn't sure she heard it, "no bad dreams tonight..."

Her mouth was horribly dry when Maura forced herself into consciousness, she could feel the warm hand of Thomas in her hair, idly stroking it as he examined some figures on an iPad. "Hoult, send the the figures on the second dig site, please." His deep voice resonated through the delicate bones of her face, making Maura shiver. "Ah, you're awake Pet."

"What time is it?" She asked softly, trying to sit up.

"Ah, careful Pet. Your balance will be off for a few hours yet." Thomas helped her upright, steadying her. 

Maura painfully swallowed, trying to relieve the cottony feeling. "What did you drug me with this time?" Her voice was raspy with the effort of speaking. 

Thomas idly smoothed a curl behind her ear. "Just a light sedative. I'm going to be occupied, I can't have you making trouble here."

"Where's here?"

Maura was interrupted by the return of Hoult, handing Pine another iPad. "Here you are, Mr Pine." Nicholas darted his eyes to the cold countenance of his former partner and back again. Thomas looked it over and nodded. 

"Excellent work as always, Hoult. You've always had the gift for finding all kinds of hidden information at a moment's notice. Like Morrighan's tragic childhood."

Nicholas stumbled, his shoulders hunching as if he was trying to bury his head between them to make himself disappear. Maura felt like a fist just punched the air from her lungs. 'Hoult. Of course.' She thought bitterly. 'I should have set Hardy on him when I had the chance." Thomas watched the silent interaction with a smile. There would be no one but him for her to depend on.

The jet landed lightly, the cabin lights came up as the pilot announced "Houari Boumediene Airport, Algiers." 


	15. How Had It Come To This?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura learns about the diabolical power of pharamceuticals. And super intense orgasms. Like, super-duper intense.

How had it come to this? Maura wondered as Thomas carried her down the steps from the jet, then wrapped an arm around her, neatly encompassing her within his long body. "Here, darling, let's get you to the hotel. I fear you may have overdid it on the champagne." The chuckle held just under the surface of his solicitous words. Maura gritted her teeth, thinking 'If I had any fucking use of my arms, I would crush his aristocratic nose and send the bone shards right into that psychotic brain of his!'

She knew exactly what Thomas made her look like: a stupid, rich and drunk girlfriend. The driver and assistant looked down, hiding their smirks. "I can walk!" Maura hissed to Pine- right as her unsteady ankle twisted in her high heel.

Gallantly swinging her back up in his arms, Thomas was laughing in a hearty, condescending way. He winked at the waiting men as if to say "silly girl just can't hold her drink!" Easily lifting her and placing Maura in the Bentley, Pine slid in beside her and told the driver they were ready. Kingston and Bender rode in the car behind them, so the two were alone. "Would you like a drink darling?" Thomas lifted his glass of scotch, then chuckled again. "What am I thinking? You're drunk already!" Looking down, he watched her fists clench into the fabric of her expensive dress. 

Maura tried to control her rage. "May I please have some water?"

"Of course, darling," he soothed, passing her a bottle of spring water. "That will help with that nasty hangover you're about to experience."

Nearly choking on her first swallow in fury, she bit the inside of her cheek, the coppery taste almost soothing. Maura developed the habit on her second assignment, guarding a gigantically obese drug lord in witness protection. The vile man stripped naked and coated himself with oil like a roast pig. He spent seven straight days finding new ways to disgust her. But she was proud to say that at the end of the detail, she was the only agent who didn't draw their gun on him at least twice. 

"Since I was unconscious for ten hours and can't walk on my own, I suppose that wasn't a 'mild sedative,' was it?" Maura asked, forcing herself to look directly into Thomas's eyes. 

He smiled at her in a parody of fondness. "A little something I had a chemist mix up for me. A special cocktail to keep you compliant. I won't have as much time here to cater to your misbehavior."

Staring at the man, Maura in that moment had never hated anyone more in her life, not even her Da.

 

Once installed in their suite, Pine opened the doors to their private deck, letting the oceanfront breeze in. He knelt in front of Maura, seated in a comfortable chair, taking off her high heels. "Pet, you be a good girl and I'll be back before you know it. Why don't you take a nap?"

The words slipped out before she could stop them. "I don't need a nap, Thomas! I need to be able to walk again, for god's sake!" She could feel his strong hands massage her calves, moving up to her thighs, parting her knees and wedging his wide shoulders between them. The lizard part of her brain was thrashing in terror at her drug-induced paralysis, speeding her heart rate as thoughts of simply smothering to death as she slumped over filling the rational side of her brain. Forcing herself into measured breaths, Maura found that Thomas had taken advantage of her inner battle to slip his long, clever fingers over her panties, two fingers lightly sliding over the silk panel. 

"Now Pet, I suspect you're just a little cranky about not being able to come at the ecstasy party. Is that it?" He was the Devil, smiling up at her with azure, glittering eyes. His fingers still moved in a maddening pattern over her undies, just hard enough to sending the blood rushing to her suddenly hopeful pussy. "I've seen how...enthusiastically you come on my cock to know you need that, don't you, slut?" His voice was getting deeper, thickening. Thomas slid one calloused fingertip under the soaked silk underwear, teasing the tip right at her entrance. "Or, perhaps you brought yourself off when you were taken home," he mused, an evil grin reinforcing that Satan himself was smoothly sliding a finger inside her with one hand and pulling down her panties with the other. "Is that what you did, Pet? Use those clever little fingers on this sweet, sensitive clit?"

Maura's seawater green eyes were wide, feeling like a cobra hypnotized by a mongoose. 'Because they have cobras here,' she thought irrationally, 'I'm sure there's cobras, but are there mongooses? What is the plural of mong-' "Oh!" She gasped, head dropping back as Thomas twisted his wrist and slid in two more fingers, his three thick digits starting to hurt as they stretched her. 

Thomas was laughing again, but it didn't have quite the cruel edge that simmered before. "Hmmmm, I'm thinking no. Look at this desperate little cunt clench down on my fingers. Poor BabyGirl, no wonder you're so cranky." Reaching  up, he laced his hand in the hair at the back of her neck. "I can make you feel all better Pet. But you must keep your eyes on mine the entire time." His eyes stayed on hers as he lowered his mouth between her legs to her swollen lips, biting them gently. Mouth opened soundlessly, Maura kept her eyes on his, somehow unable to turn away even if she could. Watching only his eyes as he feasted on her, she was amazed at how much he could show through that most beautiful part of him in an unguarded moment. "Oh, God!" He groaned, "there's nothing sweeter than the taste of you on my tongue..." He pulled one of his digits out, then dragged one of her slim fingers down to join his inside her. Startled, Maura tried to draw back, but Thomas held her there. The feeling of them both inside her was so jarring, the slip and slide of his fingers against hers. "Don't take it away," he whispered. "Make yourself come. I'll help you."

Maura's head fell back blissfully, but his impatient hand pulled it back to look at the sight of them both buried inside her. She'd never been struck before by the difference between hers and his. She was proud of being strong and competent, but the sight of the thickness of his roughened fingers sliding inside her along with her white, slim one was jarring and made her feel strangely submissive. Maura's forehead rested shyly against the bent one of her boss, intent on drawing her orgasm from her. She could feel his grin against the skin of her forehead as he kissed her and whispered, "it's absolutely beautiful to see you relax into your true nature, so docile. Do you want to come for Daddy?" Hating herself but not being able to stop, Maura nodded, resting her finger against his, letting his manipulate them inside her. She watched as Thomas drew his thumb along her seam to collect more silky wetness and drag it back up to her tiny bundle of nerves, gently patting and stroking it in rythmn with their fingers. He could feel that delicious coiling of the muscles inside her, knowing the girl was close. Thomas groaned, watching her pink mouth open in a soundless sigh. He always loved watching her come, like he'd finally broken a dam inside her and claimed something no one else could find. "Do you want this, Pet?" He gently nudged her forehead, making her look at him again. 'Ah, there is,' he thought, watching her eyes widen and that sweet pink flush spread on her skin, 'she's ready.' His fingers made her's slow, nearly stopping inside her, even though his thumb continued the maddening tapping on her swollen clit. "Do you want to come, darling?" He could feel her walls anxiously clutch against his fingers, trying to keep him from drawing out of her. Her lips parted again, but nothing came out. "Do you?" he purred in her ear, making her shiver as another spray of goosebumps went down her arms. His two fingers inside her nudged her smaller one, pressing them against her pelvis from inside.

"Oh!" Maura gasped, instinctively trying to pull them out.

"Ah, ah my Pet," Thomas chided her, "this is important. Feel that little rough patch on those silky walls of yours? Right here?" 

"Ohmygod...Thomas!" she moaned.

He put his cheek next to hers, making her look down again, Maura could feel the bristle of his unshaven skin against hers, his warm breath on her face. "When you press here-"

"Mmmm...oh! Stop, please." 

Thomas deliberately forced her finger to make one more pass over her g-spot while his torturous thumb increased it's movements. "This is what makes you come with those lovely, twining squeezes, can you feel it?" Still staring at their joined fingers, Maura gasped and came, arching helplessly against the heel of his hand holding her pelvis down. Thomas closed his eyes, painfully hard now at the feel of their fingers getting soaked together. Deliberately, he pushed them against the spot again, relishing the moans as she came again, gently grinding the heel of his palm against her clit as she tried to pull her fingers out. "I so adore your beautiful face when you come apart," he breathed into her ear, still moving their fingers inside. "I want to see that expression one. More. Time." Pine punctuated each word with a kiss on the artery throbbing frantically in Maura's neck. 

"Oh..." she moaned, "please sto- OH!" Maura wailed as his clever fingers pushed their joined ones deeper and incredibly, she felt herself coming again. To her utter shock, a rush of moisture slid down between them, drenching his hand and shirt sleeve. She tried to hide her embarrassed face behind a curtain of hair, but Thomas chuckled, moving the curls behind her ear and enjoying the vivid blush. 

"What a lovely gift, darling." His tone was pleased and greedy. Pulling their wet digits out, he pulled them up to her mouth. "Aren't you utterly delicious? Have a taste." Pine slid his finger and hers into her mouth, forcing Maura to experience her own orgasm. He pulled the square of linen from his suit pocket, then shook his head. "I'm afraid it's going to take more than a handkerchief to tidy you, Pet." He stood, his painfully large erection right in front of her for a moment before walking into the bathroom and retrieving a hand towel. Looking down, she let out a humiliated moan to see a puddle from her pooling on the chair, staining the back of her dress and slicking along her bare thighs. Thomas knelt down in front of her, wiping her legs and pussy, then the little pool of fluid from the chair. She could see the wet marks on his shirt sleeve and wanted to die right there from embarrassment. Glancing up to her face, he 'tsked' gently. "Have you never gushed as you've come before, Pet?" Maura shook her head, wishing she was anywhere but here. "There's nothing sexier," he whispered into her ear. Finishing with the towel, Pine pulled her up from the chair and started unzipping her dress, eyeing the wetness at the hem with a filthy grin. Pulling a dry pair of undies up her long legs, he wrapped her in a hotel robe and put her in bed, drawing up the covers. "Now you can rest, Pet." He dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Don't you feel better now?" When she couldn't look at him, Thomas leaned over her, hands pressed on either side of her head. "Answer me."

Clearing her throat, Maura whispered "Yes, Sir."

His grin was purgatory. "Very good, Pet." Thomas stood and buttoned his suit jacket. "I have a meeting downstairs. You have two men here, you may ask them for whatever you need. Try to get some rest." Lifting his shirt sleeve to his nose, he gave a long, appreciative sniff, chuckling at her mortified gasp. Turning the lights down, Pine left the suite. Maura struggled to stay awake and analyze what to do next, but fell into a dreamless sleep before a single plan came to mind.

 

 


	16. Dining With Satan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura is turned into a delicate flower.

Maura woke again as the sun was setting over the ocean outside the doors of their suite. She lay still for a moment, trying to place where she was. The lingering effects of Thomas's evil drug lay along her muscles, twitching with the need to move. Creeping out of the bed, she checked the terrace first. Her mouth pursed in thought. 'Three story drop to the beach, I can rappel off the terrace below-'

"Mr Pine says you're not allowed out here," a voice growled behind her. Spinning, she spotted not one but two bodyguards. Without a word, she walked back in, slamming the doors behind her. 

'Thomas said two..." she calculated, making her way across the bedroom. The first bolt of fear struck her heart when she swayed, suddenly having to lean against the door for support. "How long does this devil's brew stay in me?" Still dizzy but determined, she opened the suite doors to the front room to find yet two more men, slumped on the sofa and watching a cricket match in Arabic. 'Damn that man straight to hell!' Maura longed to hit someone,  _anyone,_ but all of her strength at the moment was occupied in standing up. 

"Mr Pine says-"

"I know, I know!" She snapped, "I'm not allowed!"

As if he'd been called with a summoning spell at a crossroads, the Devil himself appeared, talking with two more thugs he'd stationed outside the door. 'Two bodyguards my arse,' she thought, still unreasonably pleased he thought she was dangerous enough to require six men to keep her in check. Another bout of dizziness made her sway. Thomas was there in a moment, picking her up easily and heading back into the bedroom. 

"Still dizzy, Pet?" She nodded, trying to wiggle free of him. He was too close to her- his eyes impossibly blue as he shared into hers. "Hmm, perhaps I gave you too generous a dose," he pondered, smirking a little as her eyes narrowed. "But you've also not eaten since yesterday, or judging by your untouched trays at the house, nor the day before." Thomas set her on a big chaise lounge just outside the terrace doors where Maura could see the dazzling expanse of the Mediterranean. He returned with a tray set with a large glass container of juice, breads, cheese and sweets. "You'll feel better once you restore your blood sugar." Pine settled next to her on the padded seat, pouring her a glass of juice. Maura eyed the glass suspiciously, making no move to take it. He laughed. "There's nothing in this, Pet. Only fresh-squeezed orange and mango." 

After downing half the glass, Maura sat for a moment. Thomas removed his jacket and tie, rolling up his sleeves. She watched him pop a small fig in his mouth, staring thoughtfully at the sea. "How was your meeting?" She asked, not liking the quiet intimacy of the moment.

He smiled at her knowingly, "Oh, let's not discuss business, so boring." Thomas lifted a tiny, fragrant olive to her mouth. "Try this, they're delicious." Maura raised her hand to take it from him, but he shook his dark head. "Open your mouth, Pet." She resentfully did as she was told, chewing the savory olive as he watched closely. "Good?" Maura nodded, taking another drink of her juice. "Have another, Pet,"

Pine held another to her full lips, but she leaned back. "Thank you," Maura said carefully, "but I can feed myself. Sir." She added hastily, hoping to soften him. It didn't work, and Thomas held the morsel to her lips again. 

"Open, Pet." His voice was deeper, and looking at him, Maura could see the polar blue sweep into his irises. Reluctantly she did, letting him hand-feed her. The feeling of passivity was excruciating for her, having to accept nourishment from the large hand of Satan.

Finally, she pleaded, "I'm very full, thank you." He smiled, taking a linen napkin and wiping her pink lips. 'Oh, GOD, he's wiping my mouth? Like an infant?' Thomas' thin lips curled up, he knew his relentless babying was driving her mad.

"How do you feel?"

"Better, thank you," she answered, surprised to find that it was true. Suddenly desperate to move, Maura pleaded "Do you think I could take a walk? Just on the beach? I won't go far." 

His blue eyes narrowed. "Not at the moment, I fear. We need to get ready for tonight."

"What's- what's tonight?" He was already pulling her to her feet.

"Dinner with our guests, Pet." Still pulling her by her hand, Thomas drew her into the bathroom, turning on the shower and starting to undress. He looked up, pulling his shirt off. Maura stared at his leanly muscled chest until she caught his knowing grin. "Take that off," he ordered. 

She shook her head. "I'll just wait until you're done."

Thomas shook his head, the parody of concern in his voice as he deftly stripped her of the robe and panties. "Darling, I couldn't possibly chance having you slip and fall in your fragile state." Grinning diabolically, Pine lifted her easily, walking in under the spray and seating her on the tiled bench.

'Odd...' she thought as he soaped his hands and smoothed them down her arms. Maura had been called many things during her life, but 'fragile' was never one of them. At 5"10 she was taller than most men she worked with, carrying a presence around her from years of martial arts that made Maura feel somehow armored. Even though she was slim, she was strong. But watching his sun tanned arms against hers made her feel strange, the way he could pick her up like she weighed nothing, how much taller he was, thicker with muscle. She actually felt delicate against him, and the feeling unsettled the girl deeply. Thomas sat behind her, putting his long legs on either side of hers as he began to shampoo her long hair. "I can do- "

"-this yourself. I know. But you will nonetheless be still and let me wash your hair." Thomas agreed, his hands still moving through her long curls.

Looking down at his muscled legs lightly furred like his chest, Maura felt it again, feeling slight somehow against his bulk surrounding her. It was not altogether unpleasant, but she longed to pull out of his grasp, away from the reach of his long arms. She endured the rest of his soapy ministrations, hoping he'd set her free afterwards. Instead, Thomas lifted her easily as he turned her around to face him, her knees going to the outside of his. Maura was suddenly very aware that washing her hair had an effect on him- as evidenced by the very hard cock pressed between them. "Did you enjoy your lesson today?" His voice was low and warm, that sinful tinge of arousal that seemed to vibrate down her spine.

"Lesson?" She tried to focus.

"Yes, Pet. Your lesson on where to find your G spot. Important information for every girl, I believe." His broad palm was behind her now, pressing on the base of her spine, arching her back and edging her center closer to him.

Maura flushed, "Shall I leave you now so you can finish your shower?"

His stubbled chin was moving down her neck. "No. Now that I've shown you how to find your G spot with my fingers, I'm going to show you how to find it with my cock." Gasping as he swiftly lifted her on to his dick, Maura realized she was already wet. The broad head of him found her opening and started sliding her down on his shaft. "Mmmmm...I've been thinking about being inside you since feeling that gorgeous rush of your juices against my hand this afternoon." Thomas laughed at her as Maura blushed miserably again. "You've no idea how utterly-" He pulled her down harder, then up again, "-fucking-" Up, and down again, faster this time. "- _erotic_ that was, how bloody sexy you are, coming on me like that." Pine's hands went to her ass, squeezing each time as he used it to lift her up and down on his shaft. He greedily nuzzled into the corner of her neck and shoulder. "Now that I know you can do that, Pet, it's all I want to feel from you every time I fuck you." Maura felt his teeth against her skin, still in a fiendish smile as he felt the inevitable coiling inside her that meant she was already close. They finished together, her with a startled yelp as Thomas bit into her and squeezed her ass hard as the brutal rush of his orgasm nearly flattened him. He pulled her tighter, trying to recover from the aftershocks as her silken walls trembled against his spasming cock. He was suddenly unsettled by the intensity of it all, how quickly being inside her brought to to his finish. Washing them both quickly, Pine hauled her out of the shower and dried her with brisk efficiency. Maura didn't argue this time. His mood was different, and she wasn't sure what changed. Better to be silent and let him have his way- 'this time.' She angrily reminded herself. Putting her robe back on and wrapping a towel around his waist, Thomas pulled her out of the bathroom into the dressing area, where a pretty girl in a stylist's smock was waiting, blow-dryer in hand. "Ah, excellent. I see the men let you in, right on time."

"Yes, Sir," the girl practically curtsied, smiling eagerly at Thomas.

"Darling," he turned to Maura, "she's here to get you ready for tonight." Turning back to the girl, he instructed, "I want an updo. Elegant, but not pulled too tightly. She has these beautiful curls, you see. A few trailing down would be lovely on that long neck."

Maura felt a low, infuriated hiss making it's way up her throat. Telling someone how to do her _hair_ now? What the hell! "Thomas!" She collected herself, trying to sound sweeter. "Thomas, you're very thoughtful. But I know how to do my hair for formal occasions. I'll be _fine_." He smiled down at her, anyone watching them would think he was being tender. "Darling," he purred as his wide hand ran down her throat, squeezing gently, "I planned it as a surprise for you, a little pampering. You wouldn't want to disappoint me, would you?" The hand on her neck tightened, her seawater eyes shooting up to his.

Swallowing against his grip, Maura smiled sweetly. "Of course not, darling. Thank you for such a thoughtful idea." She gritted her teeth in a facsimile of a loving smile and turned to the girl, who was currently staring at Pine's crotch, barely covered by the towel. "Hello," she said, "what's your name?" The stylist jumped, looking back to her with a guilty expression.

"Sorry, Mrs. Pine!" Maura could hear Thomas chuckling behind her as he walked back into the bathroom. 

"Not. Mrs. Pine," she managed, trying to smile. "Just Maura. And your name?"

"Yasmine, Miss." The girl was good, Maura had to admit, deftly drying her hair into long, glimmering curls and then piling them on top of her head, curls artfully escaping the style and sweeping across her neck and forehead. Thomas walked out in a black tuxedo as Yasmine finished the last of the pins.

"Lovely, thank you dear," he praised, handing Yasmine a tip. The girl giggled and left, staring back at him over her shoulder. Maura's eyes rolled. No one was immune to the Devil's charms, it seemed. Sighing, she did her makeup as Thomas finished getting dressed and made a couple of phone calls from the other room. Walking out to the bedroom, she found a pair of tiny silk panties, beautiful Jimmy Choo heels and a shimmering silver and black beaded dress that looked couture. When Pine returned, Maura was sliding on the dress, fastening the straps in front but struggling to secure them in back. The dress fell to her ankles, a long slit behind that nearly met the plunging back of the dress, finishing in a graceful drape just about the swell of her bottom. Moving her hands, Pine finished the straps and looked at her in the mirror, trailing his long fingers down her spine. "You have such a beautiful back," he praised, "so long and supple, this lovely curve..." His warm hand paused at the base of her spine. His brow quirked as he caught her staring at his reflection. "What are you thinking, Pet?"

Maura tried to suppress a smile. "How distinguished you look in formal dress, this glamorous location. You're like James Bond."

Thomas laughed heartily. "More like the anti-James Bond, darling." He squeezed her shoulders gently, amazed at how quickly her bruises from the last week had faded. "Here." He handed her a black velvet box. Opening it, she found two diamond earrings and a long silver necklace with a huge diamond. He put it around her neck, adjusting it until it just hit the swell of her breasts and covered the bite mark he'd made in the shower. "If you're a good girl tonight," he spoke persuasively, "I'll let you keep them."

Maura stiffened. He could not have found a worse thing to say to her. "You can't buy me." She hissed. "Not ever!" She tried to pull away, but Thomas gripped her shoulders, forcing her to look at him in the huge mirror.

"Oh, Pet. So self-righteous in your certainty that you're doing the Queen's work and I'm the Devil. How many people have you killed, hmmm?" Maura looked away angrily, so he shook her, snapping her head upright and staring his reflection again. "How many?"

"Two," she said evenly, "to save my partner during a mission."

"And your dear Da'," he added unkindly, "such an intimate one, that.  A knife through the neck. A blade you actually keep as a trophy between your mattress and box spring. There's definitely some Daddy issues there, Pet."

"And how many innocent people have _you_ killed, Thomas?" She snarled, tired of his taunting. 

"Innocent?" He repeated, "Innocent is a loaded adjective, Pet. Your moral superiority is amusing. You think all the missions your agency assigned you were for good vs evil? And the men you killed? They had families. People who mourn them. Those who suffer from their loss. Death is death." Thomas pushed back from her, straightening his cuffs. "Come, we must go. I expect you to be on your best behavior tonight. You are here as an ornament. To impress others with my superb taste. You will be polite. Do you understand?"

Maura's fists were clenched so hard she could feel her nails sinking through the skin of her palm. With an irritated growl, Thomas took her chin is his strong fingers and held up his phone. Today's photos of the twins were clearly taken in their classroom- how close _were_ his men? Her longing eyes took them in until the slideshow moved to Meghan, in a therapy room at the care center with a kitten on her lap. Maura's eyes filled with tears. Meghan always wanted a pet but after their Da' killed their pet dog in a drunken rage, no one ever brought an animal home again. The tears dried rapidly as the next picture showed her mother's shabby stone marker in the indigent section of the graveyard near their old home. She shrugged away from him. "Why show me _that_?" She spat. Thomas was looking her over in that visual circuit of his, examining every inch of her. 

"I thought you'd like to see her grave again," he answered with a wicked purr. "Perhaps taking comfort in her final rest?"

Maura recoiled from him, visibly disgusted. "If you're quite finished," she managed, "should we go? I'd hate to make you late for anything important."

His shrewd eyes didn't stop their examination, but Thomas smiled falsely and kissed her hand. "Off we go, then darling."

 

As Thomas escorted her across the massive marble entry, Maura was knew that he was intentionally making an entrance. Defensive with so many eyes on them, she straighted her spine and walked with a pronounced sensual sway. He wanted an ornament? Fine. By the time they reached the restaurant, everyone actually was staring. Elegantly seating Maura, Thomas sat next to her, running his long fingers slowly down her spine to draw attention to her exposed back. Maura was aware that Bender was across the table, staring at them with gritted teeth. As he angrily finished his drink and called for another, Kingston sighed and leaned over to his Second in Command. "Thomas, stop taking the piss out of Michael. I can't afford to have you two try to kill each other in the middle of the Algerian desert."

Pine chuckled. "Of course, Ben." 

Maura was grateful to finally be alert again, listening intently to the conversations. She sensed hidden undercurrents to some of the comments, and while trying to decipher one, she was touched gently on the arm. "Miss, could I trouble you to pass that bottle?"

"Oh! Of course, forgive me for drifting off." She smiled politely and handed the object to the gentleman sitting next to her. He was older, wrinkles burned in around his eyes from years of squinting in the Algerian sun. His eyes were kind behind his glasses, the first of his group that didn't look at her with lust or contempt. 

"I am Akili Maaziz, you are Mr. Pine's companion?"

His tone was respectful, but she still cringed at the word "companion." "A pleasure, Mr. Maaziz, I'm Maura MacLaren."

Maaziz nodded kindly, "Are you working on this venture?"

"I have been the computer code and software developer for other Corporation...interests," Maura phrased carefully. "And you, sir?"

His tone was rueful. "My role is to be the voice of reason, which will be ignored."

She chuckled, "I know experience is revered in Algerian culture. Surely, your concerns will be heard?"

Thomas caught the tail end of their conversation and leaned in swiftly. "Mr. Maaziz, I've been interested in your thoughts on the developments in the capitol; on whether President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is handing power to his second in command?" He subtly inserted himself between Maura and her seatmate. She still listened intently while pretending to be interested in her dessert.

Looking across the table at the sound of glass breaking, Maura watched Bender curse as his dropped glass shattered on the marble floor. He angrily threw his napkin on the table, swearing at the waiter attempting to clean up his mess. Third in Command looked her way, baring his teeth at her. Staring levelly back, Maura raised one eyebrow and mouthed 'how's your throat?' while gently patting her own. "You fucking cunt-" he spurted, then controlled himself at Kingston's glare. Fortunately, the group left the restaurant before any more trouble was caused, and wandered into the casino. Thomas put a possessive hand on the small of Maura's back as Bender followed closely behind them. 

"You did remember Kingston's instructions to not taunt Bender, didn't you Pet?" Thomas leaned in to whisper the admonition to Maura, enjoying the little ripple of goosebumps on her neck that it caused in his wake.

"I believe the chastisement was directed at you, Mr. Pine," she smiled innocently, batting her lashes as he laughed. Catching herself the very next second, Maura was furious with her behavior. She'd just flirted with the man who watched her fellow agents be murdered, the monster holding her family as hostages for her behavior. While she was consumed in self-loathing, Thomas brought her to a blackjack table. As he bought her a pile of chips, Maura shook her head, pushing them back to him. "I'm a terrible card player," she admitted, "you might as well throw your money in the street. I'll just watch." To her surprise, he didn't challenge her. Simply shrugging and ordering a drink for them both, Pine set about winning round after round.

Kingston was watching the play intently, "I'm pleased to see you're winning, Thomas. You have ten million pounds to recover for the Corporation."

Thomas's eyes darted to the girl, but she seemed absorbed in the flirting of the couple next to them. "Chemicals are bad for business. And you know it, Ben. It's a loss we can afford to absorb, given the return on investment in this transaction." Maura stretched lazily beside him, her bare back arching as she faced away from him, still seemingly fascinated with her people watching. His eyes turned azure as they drifted down her spine, to where the dress dipped, daringly showing just a hint of the beginning of her bottom.

Kingston made an irritated noise, the ice clinking as he took another drink of scotch. "It wasn't your call to make. Ordering them dumped overboard without a single call to me-"

Thomas bent closer to First in Command. "Seawater makes the chemical composition break down. There'll be no collateral damage in the field and no international...outcry. Charge the loss to France and the Saudis if you are that displeased." As the two men turned back to the game, Maura continued to absently fiddle with a curl on her cheek, but her mind was racing.

'THAT'S the cargo dumped overboard!' She realized, 'seawater makes most chemical weaponry inert- that has to be the ten million dollar loss. And France and Saudi Arabia won the bid to control the REEs.' Maura cleared her throat softly and leaned into Thomas. "May I leave to visit the ladies'?" When his eyes narrowed at her, she feared she'd been too sweet with her request, setting off his suspicions. But he simply nodded and made a motion to a couple of his men to follow her. Rolling her eyes, Maura set off, still thinking. 'The French interest makes sense,' she pondered, 'since they lost Algeria as a territory so recently. No involvement in overthrowing a government, no getting their hands dirty. Just pilfering the country's assets.' Washing her hands and looking at herself in the mirror, Maura frowned. 'Did Thomas actually do the right thing and dump those weapons? No. It's just profit and loss for him.' As she was ready to leave, the door shut, Bender blocking the way.

"Hello again, you vicious little bitch. I've been looking forward to a nice, long chat." The Third in Command's fists were clenching and unclenching unconsciously.

Maura backed away, getting a little room between them. "You know one of those guards is reporting to Thomas right now. Why not just leave now and we'll forget this happened?" 

Surprisingly, he chuckled. "Oh, no, slut. This isn't the moment. I'm going to need a good long time to finish you off. But it's coming." Michael smiled at her, almost fondly in his deranged way.

The door suddenly slammed open to reveal a furious Pine. "Now, why would you be in the ladie's with my- with MacLaren?"

Bender smoothed his hair in the mirror. "Just...girl talk. Eh, Maura darling?"

She simply narrowed her eyes at him as Thomas strode forward, taking her arm and drawing her out of the room and away from a grinning Third in Command. "What did he say?" He asked angrily, leading her back to the casino.

Maura tried to make light of it. "The usual. He's going to rape me then kill me. Or was it kill me then rape me? It's a bit of a theme with him." Pine's hand tightened to the point of pain on her upper arm before he realized and released her, smoothing the sore spot with a warm palm. She looked up as the two men assigned to guard her passed by. One was cradling his face, his jaw clearly broken. "I can protect myself better than your hired hands, Thomas." She looked in his eyes. "If I'm not drugged."

Pine's expression turned cool again. "At this point, Pet, I trust my ability to keep you safe from Bender far more than your ability to keep from betraying me. So you will accept what I do whether you like it or not."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who were curious about the plot here, REE (rare earth elements) are a thing, and a rare one at that. Algeria was a territory of France up until the latter part of the 1900's. Attempting at some accuracy sometimes writes me into a corner. I'm going to just make shit up if I write another story. So much easier.


	17. I Still Hate You. I Still Don't Care.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura has had enough.

Maura could feel her headache from the drugs returning as she sat next to Thomas at the tables in the casino. Aside from ordering her the occasional drink, he ignored her for the rest of the evening. Though, Maura noticed his hand shot out to drag her back if she was more than arms-length away. Maura spent the time categorizing everything she'd learned that night. 'I can probably pull enough components from that ridiculously gigantic tv in the bedroom to access the Internet- Thomas would be clueless since he won't watch it.' Shifting in her seat, Maura absently took a swallow of the latest drink put in front of her. Thomas had watched with amusement all evening how she'd simply ignore each drink in a passive-aggressive fashion until it went flat and the ice cubes melted. She didn't think Thomas would drug her in public, but she was taking no chances. 

For the first time since she'd been outed by that rat bastard Kennedy, Maura felt hope rising in her. 'If I can at least filter the info into one of HQ's chatter lines, they'd likely redline it. I've got the audio from the bidding for Algeria stored in that email, then, I-' Then, realization that all her avenues of communication were gone hit her like a slap. Her hand shook as she took a gulp of her cocktail. Her years of thinking relentlessly like an operative were completely useless. She was the only one who could have that damning audio. Maura realized that doing anything was signing her family's death warrant. She'd endured a decade of loneliness to protect those girls. Drinking more and getting angrier by the moment, she actually jumped when Thomas took her hand. 

His shrewd blue eyes were taking in the rising flush in her pale cheeks and her delectable breasts heaving in that dress. "Come, Pet. I'll take you to bed." His meaning wasn't lost on Maura and he saw that tic from her jaw that meant she was biting the inside of her cheek again. Thomas stationed guards on their terrace and in the hallway before turning to her. "You behaved beautifully tonight, Pet. Our guests were very taken with you, especially Mr Maaziz." Maura took out the diamond earrings and tossed them indifferently on the dining table, pulling off the necklace next. Thomas watched the display with interest, though spotting the bite he'd put on her pale neck made his unmanageable cock start to rise. "Come here, Pet," his voice slid back into a command and she walked closer, looking at him levelly. She could swear she saw horns growing from his forehead as he gave her a wicked smile. "Now, pet." He soothed, "cranky again? I'm sure I can help you with that."

"And how would you do that, Sir?" Her voice was as blank as her expression, and Pine could feel his temper rising. He'd been looking forward to celebrating the most lucrative day in the Corporation's history as deep inside Maura as he could get and a little tantrum wasn't going to stop him. 

Eyes rapidly turning to frigid blue, he ordered "Take off your dress." Still staring in a detached fashion, Maura raised her hands to the straps on her shoulders, pulling them down, the heavy beaded gown dropping to her feet. Stepping out of the puddle of the cloth, Maura turned and walked into the bedroom, laying herself on the bed and staring at the ceiling. Thomas cocked his head, watching the passive-aggressive game continue. Shrugging, he pulled off his tie and tuxedo jacket as he strolled into the bedroom. "Open your legs." Maura robotically did as he told her, still staring at the ceiling.  Taking off the rest of his evening wear, he watched her fists clench, then release. Thomas licked two fingers, then ran them up her open slit. "I've had fuck dolls wetter than this, but as you wish..."

Maura exploded off the bed, aiming a hard kick at his ribs while her hands came up to box his ears. He staggered back, genuinely surprised his pet went straight to DefCon 5 without any crying or yelling first. She was on him, taking advantage of his hesitation to land a kick at the side of his knee, trying to break it. Pine turned in time to land the blow on his muscled thigh. Grabbing the offending foot on its way down from the strike, he twisted it ruthlessly, flipping his enraged and naked opponent onto the floor. Maura was back up in a second and they circled each other. Thomas suddenly laughed. "You thought you could down me by boxing my ears? Trust me, The Pastor is the expert. That was utterly amateurish. Is that what you teach those poor, silly girls in your class? Hardly a wonder they keep getting knocked around."

As he expected, Maura let out a shriek of rage and volleyed a rapid set of kicks and fists at him. Thomas managed to block most of them, but the foot that landed on his cheekbone was enough. Yanking a throw off the bed, he shot out a fist to her abdomen and threw the fabric over her head, trying to subdue her. But she was having none of it, snatching the throw and snapping the end sharply into his face, attempting to blind him. Thomas swept a leg and knocked her off her feet. Leaping on top of her, his huge hand went for her throat to choke her out. Maura looped the throw around his neck, using her elbow to brace it tighter as she started choking Pine in return. They locked gazes, each trying to make the other lose consciousness first. Even with dimming vision and his face and ribs on fire, Thomas couldn't _believe_ how fucking turned on he was. Her sweet lips were drawn back in a snarl over her gritted teeth, her eyes narrowed Peridot chips of rage. Suddenly getting under that elbow of hers that was locking his chest off of her, Thomas swooped in and bit her lips, forcing her mouth into a violent resemblance to a kiss as he yanked off the strangling throw around his neck. Maura was not to be distracted- linking both legs behind his and flipping him again, heading in for a brutal blow at his larynx. Blocking it with his forearm still hurt like hell, so Pine growled and knocked her off him with a nasty shot to her solar plexus. Turning her onto her back again while she was wheezing for air, he angrily immobilized her arms and legs. "Fucking _stop_ this! You savage little bitch! What in bloody hell did you think to accomplish with this lunatic stunt!"

Maura sagged back, panting. Her huge eyes filled with tears. "I just- I just-" she let out a sob. Pine's brow furrowed, watching her welling eyes as his grip loosened. "I just HATE YOU!" She screamed, snapping her head forward like a snake's, smashing her forehead into his. The two dropped with a thud on the carpet, both nearly unconscious with pain. "What the fuck is your skull made of?" She gasped, concrete?"

Thomas rolled on to his side, clutching his head. "Well, well. Morrighan's made an appearance. God, she's a vengeful bitch."

Still trying to draw a breath from her stinging solar plexus, Maura coughed weakly. "Bugger off, ya' pansy rich boy."

The guards on the terrace who'd been listening to the thuds and crashes from inside looked at each other fearfully. "You should check." Said Thug #1.

"Go fuck yourself," encouraged Thug #2.

Thomas wiped the blood off his split lip and started laughing as Maura stared at him. She'd just tried to murder her captor and he was _laughing?_ "Morrighan, darling. You really need to learn self-control." He pulled painfully to his knees. "You are much better than I in close combat. But you let your anger rule you." He slapped her briskly across the face before she could respond.

"Dozy prick!" Maura slapped him back. "You don't know shite! Yah lucky I didn' kill you, manky git!"

"Ah, there's Irish trash coming out, Morrighan," Thomas taunted, "thank the good Lord you don't have your Daddy's murder weapon with you."

"I doan' need it for you!" She lost her patience, pouncing on top of him again with both fists clenched. Pine struck instantly, wrapping his hands in her hair and holding her still by wrapping his ridiculously long legs around her. Maura tried to pull back when she felt the rigid line of his cock against her, but he laughed at her, drawing her down to bite and kiss at her neck and breasts. "Gabh Transna Ort Fhéin!" She hissed, her slaps against him becoming somewhat ineffectual as she started running her tongue along his sweaty collarbone. It took less than a moment to slide his cock inside her, and less than a second more for her to realize she was dripping wet and desperately eager for him. Thomas slipped his arms under her shoulder blades, pulling Maura down hard onto his thrusts. 

"God-daamnit..." moaned Thomas. "Being inside you is heaven, even though you are a truly murderous bitch, Morrighan."

"Doan' call me that," she growled, rolling on top and pushing on to his wonderfully thick cock harder. Maura leaned back as Pine's fingers parted her lips so they could watching his glistening dick slide in and out of her. Grabbing his warm palms and putting them on her breasts, she ordered, "Touch me!"

Pine braced his feet, driving up with his strong legs to slam into her harder. The depth of his penetration made her scream, but Maura didn't stop writhing on him. She began bouncing helplessly at the strength of his thrusts, reaching back to fondle his balls. "I'm- I'm coming now," she moaned, "ya' coming with me, ya' bastard?"

Laughing uncontrollably, Thomas agreed. "Hold on, now." She screamed her pleasure when he slammed up into her as hard as he could, making her supple back bow into a painful arch. She moaned as he spurted into her, shoving over and over as the heat of his come poured through her painful insides, burning her in the most pleasurable way. Falling back on to his sweaty and bloody chest, she sighed blissfully. Pine pulled her by her hair to reach up and kiss him, their split lips bleeding down their chins as they kissed and licked at each other.

An instant from falling asleep, Maura mumbled, "I still hate you."

A look up into his eyes puzzled her as she caught Pine's look of regret. "I still don't care," he soothed, kissing her one more time as the sting in her hip make everything go black.

 

Gabh Transna Ort Fhéin - essentially, "go fuck yourself" in Irish Gaelic


	18. I Own All Of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thomas proves a point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A kindly reader suggested I put in a trigger warning for issues regarding personal bodily functions like period sex. Sorry if I squicked anyone out.

Maura swam up from the bottom of the Mediterranean, fighting her way to the surface. Part of her just wanted to sink back down and stay there. She was safe in the water. She'd always been safe there, where no one could hurt her, where everything was blessedly silent. But the stubborn part of her insisted, and breaking the surface with a gasp, Maura awoke. Looking around the hotel room, she rapidly reoriented to where she was and what happened. "That bastard drugged me- _again!_ " Her eyes pricked with tears, making her unreasonably angry. "Of course he did, you idiot. He's the Devil, remember?"

Looking out the window, her heart sank to see the light angling across the sea made it mid to late afternoon. "That means I've been out for around 16-18 hours," she groaned, pushing her hair back from her eyes. Looking down, Maura saw she was in a light green silk slip, meaning he'd at least dressed her after their mauling and the roofie that finished it off. Absently rubbing her hip at the injection site, she stretched painfully, feeling all the lumps Thomas got in last night. "Bastard gave as good as he got," she said to herself, "but I hope he's in worse shape this morning." She sighed. "This afternoon." Sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the mattress, Maura was utterly astonished to flop face-first on the carpet instead of standing. She lay still for a moment, refusing to thrash in panic like the lizard brain inside her subconscious screamed to do. Her heart was pounding madly, and she bit her bottom lip. "You will not panic," she shakily instructed herself. "You will NOT, Morrighan! Have a calm now, na' giv'n that Cúl Tóna tha satisfaction." Feeling the Irish slip back in to her speech, she gritted her teeth. She'd not been Morrighan for a long time. Now was the time for Maura: sane, practical, clever Maura who found a way out of trouble without stabbing anyone. But her muscles were trembling with the effort of rising, and she fought back the absolute terror of being so helpless, there on the floor. 'At least that bastard isn't here to mock me,' she thought, trying to comfort herself.

"Darling, what are you doing on the floor? Attempting a quick getaway?"

'Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear', she thought hatefully.

"I've seen better work from you, Pet." He walked around the corner of the bed, looking down at her with a infuriatingly smug expression. Thomas was immaculately outfitted in a blue suit, no tie today. Maura was nearly ecstatic to see that he'd indeed gotten the worse of the encounter last night. 

Carefully managing to roll over and prop up against the bedside table, Maura gave him an angelic smile. "I've seen better from you, too, Mr Pine. Feeling a little battered today?" Thomas did look worse for wear- that hit to the cheekbone had graduated to a full blown black eye, along with a vivid purple bruise reaching up to his hairline, then the cloth burn and bruising around his neck from the choke hold. She spitefully hoped he was limping from the kick to the thigh.

To her frustration, he simply laughed. "It was worth it." Walking over to her and looking down, he arched a brow. "Still a bit under the weather, I see. Shall I help you up?"

"I'm not under the weather, Mr Pine!" She hissed, "I've been roofied by my big strong boss who's apparently too afraid of me fully conscious." Thomas merely sighed and hauled her up by the front of her silk slip, tearing it in the process. Carrying her over to the bathroom, he seated her on the toilet, pulling her panties down to her ankles. Seating himself on the bench by the shower, he straightened his cuffs and looked at her. Feeling extremely awkward but desperately needing to relieve herself after 18 hours, Maura shifted uneasily and scowled at him. "Could you please leave?"

He arched a perfect brow. "No, Pet. I'll wait."

"For what?" the girl squeaked.

Pine's smile was profane. "For you to finish, of course. Then I'll bathe you."

"Not this again!" It burst out before Maura could stop it, and she bit her lip as Thomas began to laugh.

"Oh, but Pet, _of course_ I'm here to take care of you. You could drown in your delicate condition, slip and fall. I'd hate to see any more injuries to that beautiful, Black Irish skin of yours."

His eyes were polar blue again, but there was a blaze behind them. 'Like the fires of Hell,' she thought spitefully. "Then- then can you please excuse me while I use the toilet?" She pleaded. "-Sir?" Maura added hastily.

He leaned back comfortably, unbuttoning his suit jacket and placing one foot over the other knee. "No."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me, Pet. No." His smile was now positively fiendish. "I own you. All of you. And there's nothing you will hide from me. Now hurry up so I can put you in the tub."

Maura pressed her knees together. "No."

Thomas pulled out his phone and began checking messages. "I have all night, Pet. But I doubt you do."

The standoff continued for nearly an hour, her thighs trembling with her desperation to hold her bladder. Maura thought of the Sahara desert. Of the tasteless rock-hard cookies she used to eat in school. Of wood chips. The horrid dry feel of dirt on her fingers when she used to steal potatoes for the girls' dinner from a neighbor's garden. But in the end, her muscles weakened from the drugs and now 19 hours of holding her bladder were too much.

"Please, Sir!" She was almost begging, "Please let me have some privacy! Please?"

Thomas put away his phone and smiled at Maura's desperate expression.

"No."

As if his answer was some subliminal command, she started peeing. Horrified and embarrassed, Maura refused to look up. Standing smoothly, Thomas strolled over, taking a roll of toilet paper and wrapping a length around his hand. Head still bent, she reached for it, but Pine pulled his hand away.

"This isn't some fetish, is it?" Moaned Maura, "Please tell me it isn't." 

His chuckle was beginning to grate on her stretched nerves. "No, Pet. But you are mine and I will own all of you." Maura thought about darting to the bidet to thwart him, but she knew her numbed legs couldn't make the short trip. Feeling his broad hand slip between her trembling legs made her want to scream with desperation. To be reduced to allowing a man to wipe her like a toddler? "Hmmm," frowned Thomas, "there's blood here." To her abject misery, she felt his calloused fingers gently probing her. His vivid eyes looked at her downcast ones. "Perhaps I was a little rough on you last night, Pet." The sheer absurdity that the man with his fingers inside her after the beating they gave each other last night could be worried about her pussy, was too ridiculous to hold her laughter in. Thomas raised a brow, then seemed to get the irony, chuckling as well.

Maura was happy to see that after her bath and Pine's babying she was at least recovered enough to walk to the bed again. Thomas had another tray of juice and small bites waiting for her- along with a box of panty liners. She bit her lower lip to keep from screaming at him as he carefully placed one on the panel of her silk panties and drew them up her legs himself.

Pouring juice for her, Thomas held it up to her mouth. His eyes glittered cobalt tonight, with a sinful, inviting smile that made him look like the serpent offering Eve the apple. Maura could actually feel tears of despair filling her eyes when Pine pulled back yet again, feeding her by hand and putting the juice glass to her lips. Eyes narrowed, she decided to give the controlling bastard what he wanted, sitting passively and letting Thomas manipulate her like a doll, refusing to speak or move.

He finished feeding her and then carried her back into the dressing area to blow dry her hair, brushing 100 strokes. "I did this sometimes, for my mother when I was a boy," he said suddenly. "She had beautiful hair like yours, long and thick." Pine's deep, sonorous voice captivated Maura, and she sat very still, barely breathing so as not to break the spell of sudden intimacy. "She had a set of those heavy, old-fashioned silver-backed brushes and combs- you recall the sort?" Maura cautiously nodded. Of course she had never seen such a thing. Her family wouldn't in a million years have money for such a ridiculous luxury. "Her work in the...community," he said mockingly, "kept her busy. But occasionally we had a moment to talk as I brushed the 100 strokes." His hands suddenly faltered as if Thomas realized he'd deviated from her smothering captor to a human being. "Get up, Pet," he said briskly, "we need to dress for dinner. Put on your makeup. I quite like that bubblegum pink lipstick, do use that."

Seawater eyes glared out from under a curtain of the curls he'd made. "How? Are you planning to carry me down and hand-feed me at the table?"

"It presents a rather arousing image," Thomas agreed. "But I think you'll find you've never felt more energetic in your life in-" he consulted his Rolex "-about right now."

Maura could feel the blood in her veins turn to ice as her heart contradicted her claims of weakness, beating strong and steadily, the forced tingling of nerves and muscles beginning to twitch. Stretching her legs and arms, she wanted to cry. "You've drugged me again." Maura said flatly, forcing herself to sound calm.

His eyes had faded back to arctic blue. "Get dressed. You have thirty minutes."

Putting on her makeup with precise, furious strokes, she thought about what she'd learned. So Thomas had a mother he adored, she knew that much from the piano in his living room. But their tender moments seemed shocking to her, hard to imagine the man she knew  _ever_ as a loving little boy. Also, she pondered, that comment about 'The Pastor' boxing his ears more cruelly than she could manage. Who was The Pastor? Their family's clergyman? A teacher? A parent? Her head nodded absently as she settled on the latter. There was too much emotion when he'd said the name. Standing restlessly, Maura suddenly longed to tear out the open doors to their terrace, leap over the railing and run on the beach until her feet bled. She was used to some kind of serious physical exertion every day, and she'd been even worse than sedentary for a week now. Bouncing on her tiptoes, she found the outfit Thomas selected for her on their bed. A short black dress with a flared skirt and sheer panels across the bust and legs, yet another pair of black heels, this time Louboutins, and another black velvet case. Yanking on the dress and shoes, Maura angrily tried to zip the back as she hopped from foot to foot. 

"Good, you're ready." His dispassionate voice made Maura grit her teeth, but she turned. "Come here," he ordered. Picking up the black jewelry case, Thomas placed a thick platinum choker around her throat, covering most of the bruises. She twitched, disliking the snug fit. 

"Does this necklace have another clasp? Could it be looser?"

Thomas smiled, the apple tempting Eve so evident again. "No."

They took a private car that evening, meeting the Algerians and the rest of the Corporation at a restaurant on the beach. As usual, Thomas ordered for both of them without consulting her, and Maura looked around the table automatically trying to memorize faces and names. Part of her knew the uselessness of this, but part of Maura couldn't give up being the agent she'd worked so hard to become. Nezzar was especially loud that night, confident that no one would dare complain. He eyed her, drinking heavily. "I see General Nezzar is enchanted with you." Maura turned with a smile, grateful to be placed next to Mr. Maaziz again. "Be careful there, Miss MacLaren. He is not...kind." His face was concerned but somehow resigned.

"Thank you for the warning, Mr. Maaziz." she assured, "I have met his sort before. Keep out of the way, out of line of sight." Maura smiled, trying to lighten the moment, but her dining companion was not reassured. Thomas watched the interaction carefully, but he didn't interrupt tonight. Maura asked more questions of Maaziz, genuinely interested in the man. He talked passionately about Algeria, his involvement in the government. "You must have been so concerned about another civil war during the last election," she encouraged, seeing the worry behind his spectacles.

"It is always a concern in a nation as volatile as ours," he agreed. "My job is to reduce the number of casualties--particularly civilian--in such a case."

Maura's brow furrowed, "That's a terrifying responsibility."

Maaziz shrugged tiredly, "Better the mantle fall to me than others."

General Nezzar stood. "Less talk! More celebration!" He roared, and dinner was over.

She had never felt so alert, mused Maura, every muscle twitching to move. "I'll bet I could take a mountain lion." She offered suddenly. "Or maybe a shark." Thomas looked at her with a brow raised as the car took them to meet the others at a nightclub.

"Perhaps I've been too generous once again with my dosage. Have you never indulged in illegal pharmaceuticals before, Pet?"

Maura shook her head. "Drugs are for EeGits." She couldn't seem to stop her bouncing around the car, picking up bottles in the lit bar and putting them down again, fussing with her hair and skirt. "Have you ever wrestled a shark, Thomas? You could hold onto the fins, and-"

"We're here!" He said with some relief. "Come, Pet. Try to make some effort to keep your mouth closed, would you?"

"Why?" She giggled, "they've been questioning you about that ring of bruises around your neck, eh? Feeling a bit shy, then?"

Thomas rolled his eyes, pulling his sniggering date out of the car. "Come, Pet. And remember: mouth." He mimed the gesture, and she followed along, still tittering helplessly. "Shut."

"Shut," she nodded, breaking into helpless laughter at his irritated expression. "Shut! Always! Of course, Thomas! Although, what should I do then if a mountain lion attacks us? Should we have a signal? Like I hold up my hands and pretend they're claws, like-"

Pine yanked her into a corner. "You must. Be. Quiet. NOW." His hands gripped her upper arms, mouth a tight line of anger. "Do you understand, Maura?" Snorting a little with the effort of keeping the hysterical giggles in, she nodded gravely, making the motion of locking her mouth with a key and throwing it away. He looked down at her sparkling seaglass eyes and suddenly kissed her, savoring the feel of her full lips and enjoying the trills of laughter than seemed to bubble up as their mouths and tongues moved together. Maura sighed softly. The feel of his mouth over hers was almost unbearable on her zinging nerves and overly sensitive skin.  She grabbed one large hand and put it on her breast, arching hopefully against Thomas. She could feel the sensation of his hopeless groan against her mouth, vibrating clear down to her pelvis. "Pet," he enunciated. "Pay attention. We will dance, and entertain our guests. Then, I will take you home and fuck you right out of this insane energy. Can you do this?"

Suddenly, the bubbles evaporated for Maura. Pulling back to look him in the eye, she sadly shook her head. "No, you won't." she disagreed flatly. "You'll take me back to that hotel and drug me again. Over and over. Like some sick flesh doll." Pulling free, she walked into the nightclub, trying to push away the grief choking her and attempting to become invisible in the music.

Fortunately, Thomas gave her some room to enjoy herself. If Maura was paying attention, she would have seen a loosely structured "fence" of security men around her and some of the female companionship for the evening. Her eyes closed, she joyfully lost herself, moving with the other girls in a graceful cadence. She danced for hours, smiling and laughing as she swirled from corner to corner. The increasingly flustered security men continued to push hopeful interlopers away, until Thomas spotted the General moving purposefully to the dance floor. Abandoning the group mid-sentence, he headed for the floor, neatly cutting Maura from the herd. Eyes suddenly open, she gasped to see him towering over her. Putting one arm around her waist, Pine slid a knee between hers and began to sway with the music. "Oh, damnit," she sighed dreamily. "Is there nothing you don't do well, Thomas?" He laughed, spinning her around and away from the others into a more secluded corner of the floor.

"I don't dance, Pet," he confessed, "it must be your dangerous influence."

"Hmmm," she said matter of factly, "I knew you would be an incredible dancer."

Pine's brow rose. "And how would you know that, Pet?"

"Because of how good you are in bed." She said without thinking, cringing as Thomas laughed uproariously. 

They moved together for so long that Maura was one song away from humping his thigh again. Watching the couple with a frown marring his features, First in Command was unsettled. He'd never seen Pine dance. Nor smile, nor laugh, nor move the way he was with that troublesome little whore. Watching as they slipped out, Kingston resolved that MacLaren needed to be disposed of. Sooner than later.

He was on her in a moment as the car began to move, taking them back to the hotel. Maura moaned happily as he assaulted her mouth, Pine's big hands roaming restlessly over her breasts in the pretty black dress. A finger slid under her choker and yanked her head forward. "Kiss me," Thomas urged. Maura could feel the first stirrings of her sanity returning, but she pushed them down for the moment to kiss him freely. Ushering her urgently through the lobby, Thomas slammed her against the lift wall as they headed up to their floor, sliding his hand up her thigh to run under the skirt of her dress.

"Mmmmm..." she sighed, "kiss me some more, Thomas..."

Groaning, he did as she asked, until the lift doors opened to see two elderly Arabic couples, deeply offended by the display. "Aedhurani," Thomas said, nodding respectfully to the group as he dragged Maura down the hallway. Once in their big, white bedroom, he pulled her dress off, still kissing her greedily on every bit of her he could reach. As they fell on the bed, he slid his hand into her panties, then stilled for a moment when he saw the smear of red on his fingers. "Pet," he said, voice growing thicker, more feral, "I believe you're having your cycle."

Brain snapping back to razor-sharp focus, Maura stilled to feel the familiar heaviness in her pelvis and lower back. She was never one for intrusive side effects from her period, so she didn't really notice until she paid attention to the calendar or the blood in her undies. "Oh!" Maura gasped, embarrassed again. "I'll just- I'll bet they have tampons or sponges in the gift shop. I'll just-" 

"No," said Thomas flatly. "I ordered all of those in case this was your cycle." He pushed his broad shoulders between her knees, keeping them open. Two thick fingers slid into her, ignoring the sudden stiffening of her body.

"Wait. Thomas, please, we can't-" Maura started, once again feeling horribly exposed. 

"Of course we can, Pet." That sinuous purr was back, his voice was sin. "Of course, darling. I own every part of you. From the blood that flows in your veins to the blood flowing from your pussy." He stood up and retrieved a towel from the bathroom, laying it under her.

Maura chewed her full lips frantically, biting off all the cotton candy lipstick Thomas was so fond of... Feeding her? Bathing her? Fuck- the bastard wiped her bottom! But he didn't expect to- he wouldn't want to-

Apparently, Thomas did, rolling her onto the towel and on her back. His long fingers slid to her tender pussy. "Do you feel a great deal of pain during your cycle, Pet?" He was rubbing her, gently, persuasively and Maura was horrified when her hips rose helplessly to move with him.

"Yes?" Her voice was small, embarrassed she couldn't manage a more believable denial.

His chuckle was dark, smoothing over her frayed nerves like velvet. "I don't believe you, Pet. No one could move the way you did tonight with cramps, all the discomfort some women seem to have during their cycle."

Maura cringed. 'Damn him.' she thought, 'even something as vile as a period sounds elegant in that damned Cambridge accent of his.' Aloud, she pleaded with him, even as her disobedient hips moved against his fingers. "Please, Thomas. You- you can't possibly want to have sex when I'm all, you know...please, Sir?" She arched her back as his long fingers moved against her G spot, terribly sensitive during her period.

His mouth moved persuasively over her full lips. "Of course I do. Why would I be afraid of a little blood, when you're so..." His fingers, delved deeper into her channel, forcing a moan from her. "...so full and luscious? Your sweet lips are swollen, and I can feel that tight little cunt quivering against my fingers." His last word devolved into a pleasurable hiss, forcing a moan from her shamed mouth as his digits moved against her G spot again.

Maura didn't know how to react, neither of her former lovers- as short as the relationships were- ever expressed interest in being inside her during her cycle. She'd fobbed them off with oral sex. 'Blowjobs,' her drug-hazed mind jumped on the idea, 'that's it. Right, then.' "Sir, let me suck you," she whispered persuasively, "I haven't had you in my mouth since that night on your kitchen table, remember?" She tried to roll over him, but his fingers still embedded inside her stopped the movement. 

"No," he said, moving up against her while still keeping his long digits in play inside her. "I want you. I own you. And I will have all of you." His azure eyes looked down on her pleading ones smiling without warmth. "You are mine, precious Pet. And I can hardly wait to feel the slickness of you-"

"Oh!" She gasped as his length slid into her, even more intrusive and erotic against her swollen and tender tissue.

"-covered in blood and sliding against my cock-" He pushed harder.

"-driving into you, owning every inch you've tried to keep from me, my vicious little Morrighann." He hissed against her ear. "I'll own you just as surely as I own Maura." She stiffened again, trying to shove him off of her. As if he'd been expecting it, Thomas whipped out a pair of cuffs, locking her against the head board in seconds, pulling out of her to tie her legs apart as well. Looking down at the towel covering the sheets, he grinned. Running a finger through the wet mark, Pine held up a bloody finger for her to see. He suddenly placed it into his mouth. "All of you." Pushing back into her, he slid and shoved against her, rotating his hips with the extra moisture to find her G spot and push up against it as he came. "All of you," he groaned, hips still moving against her.

Shuddering from her own helpless climax, Maura saw the glint of silver in the corner of her eye and stiffened. "No! Please, please Thomas! Don't drug me again! I can't stand it! Please!" Her next sob was cut in half into a moan as she felt the sting again. "Why don't you just kill me..." she whispered as everything went black. 

So faint that the tunnel she fell through almost carried it away, came the answer. "Because I'm not a good man."

 

 Cúl Tóna: Gaelic Irish for "dickhead"

 Aedhurani: Arabic for "I beg your pardon."

 


	19. One Father Had Been Bad Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas ponders his past, Maura's present and the future of the Corporation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of balls in the air, what with a government to topple, a woman to protect and two increasingly troublesome partners. Thomas is juggling with all ten fingers and toes.
> 
> Possible trigger warning: mild mention of period sex

Thomas leaned against the open door of their hotel terrace, watching the waves roll in on the shore. The salt-tinged air blew in, and he took an appreciative sniff. His family used to have a cottage in Brighton, where they'd spend much of the summer-until his parent's "responsibilities" became too demanding. Then, it was just him and his nanny until Thomas grew old enough to leave the cottage behind. But the smell of salt and the wind always brought the feeling back. The moaning behind him made Thomas turn back to his companion in the bed. Maura was having another nightmare, the third in as many nights. "Jim- Jimmy, oh A stór...I'm so- sweet boy...oh!" Sweat glistened on her face, grief twisting her mouth.

'Her brother this time,' he deduced, leaning over her thrashing body. "Shhhh, sweetheart. Hush now, it's all right. Your family is safe, you've kept them safe. Sleep now...shhhhh...there's a good girl..." Thomas stroked her cheek, holding her hand as Maura quieted. Letting out an exhale of breath she'd been holding in her terror and grief, she sank back into a deeper sleep. Swinging his long legs back on to the bed, he was surprised to see Maura move, curling up to him and putting her head in his lap. The nightmares were getting worse, he thought as he laid the long ribbon of her hair across the pillow next to him, running his fingers through her inky black locks. The blue-black highlights shimmered in the moonlight, Pine idly twisting a lock this way and that. He was suddenly furious with himself- what on earth possessed him to tell Maura about his _mother?_ She'd sat still in that intensely attentive way she had, listening carefully to every word. Maybe he felt badly for the afternoon- finding her limp and helpless on the floor and then forcing her to share every personal bodily function with him. Thomas refused to feel sorry about fucking her, though. The tightness of her swollen tissues and the obscene squelching of the trickle of blood made Maura's pussy unimaginably erotic. And since his girl came like a rocket, Thomas suspected her protesting was due to inexperience. Pine rubbed a hand over his brow, wincing as he hit the bruise on his forehead. He still had to smile. Vicious little bitch. Thomas knew she'd crack at some point, she was too stubborn and proud to endure the utter helplessness without attempting to kill him sooner or later. He'd taken an irritating amount of torment earlier today, showing up to the meetings with the Albanians looking like he'd tangled with a crew of London skinheads- and lost.

Kingston was especially horrified. Pulling him aside, First in Command hissed "what the hell is going on here, my boy?" Thomas didn't even bother to wear a tie to the meetings, perversely pleased at the ring of bruising around his neck. His Morrighann was an arousingly vicious little thing. Dismissing all other comments with a wave and a salacious grin, Pine simply shrugged and said "an adventurous night, and worth the battle wounds." This satisfied everyone else, flooding him with filthy laughter and obscene jokes, except for his fellow Corporation officers. Bender looked at him with barely contained rage and jealousy, and Kingston with shock and a growing speculation. Unfortunately, Thomas was still in such good spirits from the impassioned mauling she'd given him while bouncing on top of his dick the night before that he didn't notice First in Command's expression. Which was a mistake.

Gently stroking her cheek as Maura nuzzled closer, Thomas felt something he hadn't in a long time- a stab of guilt. He remembered that look of betrayal and terror tonight as he injected her again, ignoring Maura's begging to spare her the needle. She _was_ a good girl, earnest in her belief she was doing the right thing as an operative, secure that her government only wanted truth and justice. Learning that she was the Corporation leak sent him into a rage so incandescent that Pine's heart nearly stopped. He _was_ the Corporation's master in torture, but using brute physical pain was clumsy and ineffective. Learn the deepest fear of your opponent was the key. Drugging and incapacitating Maura sent her into a tailspin of terror and anxiety. His relentless babying--taking away any last bit of her autonomy would eventually force her into the docile acceptance he required as payment for her betrayal. Looking down at her sleeping face, the long lashes fanning across her cheeks, Thomas felt a surge of arousal. There were times she slipped into that submission so easily-the relief of handing power over to to him was almost palpable. Why did she have to be so damned stubborn? And beautiful? So brilliant, and bloody funny? Remembering her babbling about mountain lions and sharks tonight made him shake with silent laughter, stopping as his moving chest stirred her. Maura must have blood like pure spring water- he'd never seen _anyone_ with such inexperience with drugs. He must be more careful, Thomas thought, to make sure her dose wasn't too high.

He shifted a bit, putting one arm behind his head on the pillow, idly running his hand up and down her arm. The drugging and malleable behavior in his Maura served a greater purpose now. Kingston's distaste for his Pet was increasingly apparent. Keeping her off First in Command's threat list was crucial. He couldn't carry this deal, protect Maura from Bender and then add Kingston to the list. Michael's value to the Corporation was his brutishness and willingness to do anything-no mater how loathsome-to get the job done. Ben was different: he attacked from behind while smiling at you in that avuncular way of his. If he was determined to kill you, it _would_ happen. Thomas frowned, his hand slowing over Maura's soft skin. Bender's increasing instability was dangerous for the Corporation and for Maura. He needed to be finished off. But Kingston's desire to control him was becoming just as onerous- calling him "son," and "my boy," attempting to act as a father figure. A cold smile curled Pine's lips. One father had been bad enough. Perhaps it was time to dissolve Jaguar Holdings.

 

A stór: Irish Gaelic for "my heart, my treasure" traditionally used for children

 


	20. "You just gave a £15,000 diamond necklace to a WHORE?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura makes a plan.

Like clockwork, Maura woke just as the sun was setting over the Mediterranean. Putting her hands over her face, she struggled to control her despair. 'Crying fixes nothing,' Maura lectured herself. 'I need a plan.' That small gibbering part of her was raising hell in her subconscious, flailing in terror over her immobility. Running a tentative hand down her panties, Maura found that Thomas had actually inserted a tampon for her. Shuddering as the lava flow of shame poured over her cringing body, Maura had to fight back tears again. 'Shut tha' hell up!' That voice was pure Morrighann. 'Have Misneach now. Ya' gonna cry 'till he comes in an' it starts oer' agin?' 

"Nah," Maura whispered, "I'm not." Laying back, she began to visualize each part of her body, trying to assess what was happening. "All right then," she started. "What drug causes temporary paralysis?" Maura began running down what she'd been told in training. Narrowing it back down to a Ketamine derivative, she tried to break it down further. "This is a custom mix, so trying to guess is useless. Next step. What do I know about getting the drugs out of my system faster?" Without anything more sophisticated, her best option was trying to flush her system. Looking around the room, Maura spotted the water pitcher always kept filled- and coffee. A grin spread over her lips. There was the little coffeemaker and packets of coffee that were ubiquitous to every hotel room globally. "Next step, getting to the goods and keeping Thomas from knowing." Looking at the sun hovering over the horizon, Maura knew she didn't have much time. Gritting her teeth, she rolled off the bed, landing with a thump. Freezing to make sure the guards didn't check on her, Maura counted to 100. "Move now girl!" She whispered, "we haven't much time." Crawling across the floor on nearly useless limbs was terrifying, so Maura tried to distract herself with memories of all the ridiculous army crawls she performed during obstacle courses in training. "It's like calculus," she comforted herself, "you never think you need crawling on your elbows in mud- which is what this bloody feels like- until you do." Finally making her painful way to the coffee stand, Maura rested her shaking limbs. Pulling down the coffee packages, she forced herself to swallow four of them, leaving the others to hide in her bedside drawer. Nearly gagging, she drank as much of the water as she could stand, stilling herself and focusing on making her body respond. After 15 minutes or so, she managed to force her legs to push her upright. Carefully holding the water pitcher in one hand and placing the other hand on the wall for support, the girl made her careful way to the bathroom, filling the pitcher again and forcing herself to drink more. After gratefully relieving herself without the scrutiny of her dark captor, Maura crept across the room, replacing the water pitcher and tidying everything to look the same. Fortunately, Thomas never made his own coffee or tea, choosing room service or having it brought to an early meeting. Hopefully, he wouldn't notice the missing coffee packages. Sliding gratefully back in bed, Maura rested her trembling arms and legs. Breathing carefully, she tried to visualize the contradictory nature of looking asleep and weak for Thomas while forcing energy from the caffeine and water to move the drugs through her system. Jumping when the outside door opened, Maura closed her eyes and channeled the weakness and fear to the surface.  

"Ah, Pet." She knew his soothing voice, could have picked out that beautiful tone in a crowd of a thousand others. Maura blinked, as if trying to force her drooping lids to open. A weight on the bed rolled her slight frame into his, as Thomas put his large hand to her forehead. "Time to wake up, darling." 

"What time is it?" She whispered, not opening her eyes.

"Time to get up," he replied implacably. 

Maura turned her face away. "I don't want to...every night is the same." She burrowed her face into the pillow. "Please, Sir. Just let me sleep."

Pine's brow furrowed. Even weakened, he was used to her glaring daggers at him, spitting like a cat when she woke from these deep, drugged sleeps. Sighing, he slid his arms under her and picked her up easily, walking into the bathroom and putting her on the shower bench, turning on the cold water. Her enraged scream as Thomas took off his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves made him smile. "There, there," he soothed, "isn't that better, Pet?" Pine sadistically scrubbed Maura down with the hand-held shower head, keeping it on cold. In a moment, she was fresh and smelling of vanilla and honey from the soap he'd selected for her. 

"I hate you," she hissed, teeth chattering. Reminding herself to appear weak, Maura leaned against the tile wall.

"Now, Pet," he chuckled, "I'll overlook your impertinence this time." Changing the water temperature to warm, Thomas changed the setting on the hand held to slow pulses, running the device down her back. "Isn't that better?" His voice was thickening again, she noticed with alarm, his tone deeper. The shower head moved to her stomach, and Maura shrank back. Her entire body was humming from the caffiene in the coffee she'd forced herself to consume. So when Thomas started pushing her knees apart, her first instinct was to use her strong adductor muscles in her inner thigh to snap them shut. Forcing herself to remember her new role, Maura closed her eyes, letting him press between her thighs after a weak struggle. Sucking in a breath as the warm pulses went lower, she stubbornly kept silent. She'd never beg him for mercy again. "Mmmmm..." Thomas lightly traced her lips with one calloused thumb, gently coaxing her clitoris to swell. "Such a beautiful sight," he purred, "your sweet little kitty swollen and tender from your cycle...I can hardly wait to be in there again." With that, he placed the shower head directly over her sensitive pelvis as Maura gasped. Eyes flying open, she found his face inches away from hers, his azure eyes intently watching the reaction on her lovely face. He was kneeling in front of her, expensive suit soaking wet as Pine continued to press the jets of water against her. He was too close, Maura thought wildly, looking too deeply into her eyes. He could see through her, he knew about the new plan...she forced herself to stop thinking. Thomas's other hand came up to grasp her chin, turning her face back to his. "Does this feel good, Pet? Is it making that delicious pussy a little less sore?" His smile was pure sin, a carnal invitation to transgress with him.

Pressing her full lips together, she refused to respond. Thomas could force her to orgasm, but she would not participate. Not this time. Sagging as if her shaky muscles could no longer hold her, Maura's head drooped, only to shoot up with another scream when the water against her sensitive pelvis turned to ice cold again. "Sss-stop it!"

Pine raised an eyebrow, easily holding her in place as she squirmed, trying to escape the freezing torture. "Say please, Pet."

Everything was blurring together in her desperate mind as the water made her stomach desperately clench. "P-please?" Maura shuddered, "Ssss-Sir?"

His voice purred right next to her ear. "As you wish." Suddenly, his mouth was on her freezing center and Maura yelped. His tongue felt like it was spreading fire along her delicate pussy, and her head dropped back with a moan when his clever mouth closed over her in an open-mouthed kiss, instantly heating her again. Pine's big, warm hands crept up to her breasts, stroking her, soothing the goosebumps away as that sinful mouth continued licking and sucking, as if he was trying to actually devour her. The stubble on his chin rubbed against her tender inner thighs, the prickles sending her nerve endings alight. To Maura's fury, it took only another hard suck on her clitoris to make her come, grinding herself against his mouth. She could feel Thomas chuckle against her, the vibrations shot up her oversensitive pelvis and launched her into another orgasm as he plucked and pulled at her nipples. Sagging over him, Maura tried to catch her breath. It felt like everything she'd torturously attempted to build that evening to defy him washed away, leaving her limp and shaking again.

"Your pants are wet." Her voice was breathless, and she felt silly she couldn't think of anything better to say.

Laughing, Thomas stood to pull them off, along with his dress shirt and black boxers. He was standing so close that the soft tip of his hardened cock was brushing against her cheek. His warm hand went to her chin to have her to look up at him. "Will you return the favor, Pet?" He watched as her eyes widened, teeth sinking into her lower lip. Thomas smiled in an utterly depraved fashion, pressing the broad head to her lips. "Kiss me, my lovely Pet." Without a thought, Maura opened her mouth and closed her eyes, pulling in as much of him as she could on the first gulp, just holding him in her mouth for a moment, getting used to the feel and taste of him. His pleased hiss above her brought her back to the present, and she deliberately swallowed, clenching the sensitive tip of him against the back of her throat. "God, that's good, darling. Just like that." Long fingers, trailed along her jaw, stroking her cheek without forcing her into a rhythm. Looking down at the black fan of her lashes against her pale skin made him groan again. "Such a beautiful girl, so exquisite," he praised, feeling her pointed tongue slide up and down the bulging veins along his shaft, then circling under the sensitive skin at the tip. As his roaming fingers slid into her hair, Maura stiffened, but he only smoothed the silky strands as he continued to murmur in that sonorous, filthy way. She was on autopilot now, raising her chin to take more of him down her throat, flattening her tongue. For the first time, she felt a glorious sense of power over _him_. "My darling Pet, there is nothing like the feeling of this warm, sweet mouth- God!" Thomas said sharply as he felt his cock start to edge past her gag reflex and down her throat. His big palm slid over her cheek again, stroking the soft skin as he shuddered and groaned. He had no idea his shy Maura could be so good- her little pink tongue was busy fluttering around him as she slid more and more into her throat in a slow, careful fashion. The heat of her mouth and those pink, pouting lips made his fingers clench unconsciously in her hair. Maura froze instantly, eyes opening and looking up. Thomas gathered his scattered brain cells and smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way. "No fear, Pet. Do it your way, it's utterly.." Her tongue started moving again. "...utterly perfect, darling," he groaned. Thomas had slept with hundreds of women, most of them professionals, but he'd never experienced anything like the sensation of Maura's warm mouth. She continued to inch him down her throat, the pressure and heat were incredible. But that infuriating little tongue kept fluttering around like a deranged hummingbird, tickling his nerve endings and offsetting the sensation from the excruciating squeeze. Pulling her long curls under her mouth, Maura cradled his balls in her silky hair, sliding and twisting the long strands over the sensitive skin. As his balls were drawing up against their soft puddle of inky curls, Maura's nose touched Pine's abdomen. He looked down in utter shock, his eyes widening to see her eye looking up at him. They playfully narrowed for one moment, then Maura swallowed. "Fuck- God- You!" His head fell back, knocking rather painfully against the tile wall as Thomas felt his come rush through him and into her mouth, the rhythmic squeezing of her throat swallowing his seed setting him off again in another strangled groan. Bracing his long legs against the shower wall, Thomas laughed. "If men can't have multiple orgasms, then I don't know what that could be." Giving him a long, slow suck, Maura released him from her mouth and primly wiped the corner of her mouth. Pine, still slumped against the shower wall panting, stared at her. "Where on earth Pet, did you learn how to do such an audaciously sexy thing?" She shrugged awkwardly. How could Maura admit she'd fantasized doing just that on late, boring nights in the computer lab? Shaking his head, Thomas leaned down to give her a long, appreciative kiss before whispering in her ear. "Aren't you full of the most delightful surprises, darling." Rinsing them off, Pine dried Maura and wrapped her in a towel to carry her back into the bedroom.

As he helped her dress in soft linen lounge pants and a tank top, she mused that this must be hell- an eternity of slack and useless limbs manipulated by someone else, a blank, mindless flesh doll. The vision made her shudder and caught Pine's attention. "You must be starving, let's sit on the terrace and you can eat." He looked her over, Maura's hands laying uselessly on her lap. Thomas pushed down that odd feeling of discomfort and asked, "do you feel like you can walk? You'll feel better once you're moving again." 'Really, Mr Pine?' she thought hatefully, 'imagine how much better I'd feel if you stopped drugging me!' But she only nodded, raising her arms for his help. Ironically, the orgasms she'd enjoyed in the shower only made her caffeine-laced high better. For the first time in days, Maura felt like herself--albeit herself laced with 10 cups of coffee. Thomas caught her looking wistfully at the beach, but she didn't say a word, 'I'm done begging him.' she thought. 'Not ever again.' Her toes were curling with impatience, her feet needing to run. Tucking them under the lounge chair, she stared at the food on the table. It was set for dinner- with china and crystal wine glasses and several covered dishes filling the air with enticing smells. Thomas served them both- roast lamb and rice, several different salads and warm na'an bread. He kept up a light conversation of amusing moments during the day while Maura ate slowly, trying to analyze what item he'd drugged. She drank water, refusing the wine Pine offered her.

By the time dessert was served- honey-dipped nuts and fruits, her heart was pounding with anxiety. There was simply no telling where he'd slipped that night's stimulant, so she couldn't take a chance. Clearing her throat, Maura asked, "would you please excuse me?" Pine nodded, rising and taking her hand to help her up. Smiling awkwardly, she turned in the direction of the bathroom, praying he didn't insist on accompanying her. Once inside, she shut the door and rapidly turned on the water in the sink to drown out the sound of losing her dinner as Maura shoved two fingers down her throat. 'I'm going to miss that na'an bread,' she thought sadly as she flushed the toilet, then the bidet for the sound effect. Wiping her mouth after quickly brushing her teeth, Maura opened the bathroom door to find Thomas standing just outside. His eyes were a frigid blue, and her heart sank. 

"Was dinner not to your liking, Pet?" His voice had dropped two registers, but still with that silky cadence that could be terrifying. Pine's hands shot out and lifted Maura by her hips, throwing her into the bed and caging her in with his long arms and legs. "Now why would you choose to disrespect my hospitality?" Thomas pressed into her harder, keeping her from drawing a full breath. "Hmmm?" He prompted when she didn't reply.

Staring up at his cold blue gaze, Maura steeled herself. "I didn't know what you'd drugged. If you keep injecting me with downers and then pulling me back with stimulants, you're going to kill me." She sighed, suddenly exhausted again. "Or is that the plan, Mr Pine?" He didn't answer her for the longest time, his polar eyes blazing down at her with his mouth in a furious, tight line. Suddenly, his weight was off her chest and Maura took a deep, grateful breath.

"If you choose to go hungry tonight, I will allow it." Thomas answered coldly. "Get dressed, you have-"

"-30 minutes, I know," she answered before Maura could stop herself. Putting a hand up to her mouth, she was ready to blurt an apology when Thomas threw his phone on the bed next to her. Today's pictures were at the twin's birthday party, Abigail and Carin laughing as they opened presents, surrounded by their friends. The breath caught in Maura's throat and she felt sick again. How could she have forgotten their birthday? For ten years, she'd lit a candle on a cupcake on this day and blew it out, wishing for their happiness and safety for another year. Thomas roughly pulled her chin back to look at the phone, the next photos of Meghan in her wheelchair, being pushed through the garden at the care center. 

"Have you forgotten your responsibilities, Pet?"

"No, Sir," she whispered.

His hand pushed her chin higher. "I didn't hear that."

"No, SIR," Maura said clearly, clenching her hands to keep from crying. She wasn't wasting tears on this man either.

"Then get dressed," he answered sharply, leaving the room.

In the Mercedes Thomas laid a hand on her smooth thigh, his long fingers draped close to her red silk panties. "We had dinner- well, the one you vomited- in the suite this evening because we're entertaining a large number of guests at a nightclub tonight." His calloused fingertips idly traced her  leg. "This club is...much rougher than what we've been used to here in Algiers. It is imperative that you stay next to me at all times. Do not eat or drink anything I haven't given you." The irony that Pine could have the gall to worry about someone else drugging her nearly made Maura laugh, but she managed to change it into a cough as it came out. "...do you understand, Pet?"

"Ah- yes. Yes of course, Sir." Looking out the window, she wondered when she'd last heard someone speak her name to her. It was a psychological weapon to take away someone's name- depriving them of their identity and eventually their humanity. It was a common tactic in intelligence work. Pine used the cruel game very well.

The description Thomas gave as "rough" was actually an overly generous term. The stink of cheap perfume, hashish, and copious bodily fluids nearly made Maura choke, but she held tightly to Pine's hand as he led her to an elevated lounge with several private tables. Naked women were dancing on two of them. Sitting with Thomas's long arm wrapped firmly around her shoulders, she watched the men carefully. They were mercenaries, her experienced eye knew the look of men who created war for profit. 

"To victory!" Shouted General Nazzar, the drunken toast starting a stopwatch in Maura's head. The overthrow of the government must be ready to begin.

Kingston came to their table, placing a fatherly hand on the shoulder of his Second in Command. "Thomas, come for a moment and meet the Rashiid brothers, I hired them for that event in Nicaragua last year." Maura stared at his glittering black eyes, alive with malice and an emotion she couldn't decipher.

"Of course, Ben," Pine agreed smoothly. Leaning in to kiss Maura's cheek, he reminded her, "stay with Benson and Martinez, they are instructed to not leave your side." 

"Miss MacLaren, what a pleasure to see you this evening," looking up, she smiled to see Mr Maaziz in front of her. Turning to Thomas, he gave a courtly inclination of his head  "I will also be happy to act in Miss MacLaren's security unit."

Thomas nodded graciously in return. "My appreciation, sir." 

As he left, the security men he'd assigned her both crowded in, looming over Maura and Maaziz. "Gentlemen, please!" He urged, "I feel as if I'm at the bottom of a well with you hovering so." Martinez and Venson looked at each other and moved back exactly one step. Maaziz's eyes twinkled behind his spectacles. "Mr Pine must care for you deeply, to look at after you so...attentively."

Shaking her head with a smile, Maura demurred. "I believe it falls more under the category of preserving company assets." A crash at the next table made them both turn to see one of the men hop on to the table, stomping glassware as he tried to dance with the naked and giggling woman. Maaziz looked on with a frown as General Nazzar threw his drink on both of them, laughing uproariously.

Maura watched his expression darken. "Forgive my ignorance. Mr Maaziz, but what will the General's role in the new government?" He turned to look at her, eyes shrewdly examining her.

"If I tell you the general becomes the Commander In Chief?"

Still watching his expression, Maura asked, "and yours?"

He tiredly removed his glasses, cleaning the lenses. "An advisory position."

"I see," Maura paused, trying to navigate this minefield. "Do you feel..." she leaned closer, the music drowning out their conversation. "...what do you see as the future of your country under his rule?"

Maaziz looked at her sharply, putting his glasses back on. "This conversation is not a productive one, Miss MacLaren."

Maura smiled and nodded. "I understand, sir." After another 30 minutes of conversation, she excused herself, looking for Thomas. Finding him deep in discussion with Kingston and another man, she asked her two burly babysitters to take her to the ladies room. She felt the stares of the other women as she walked in the door with the two men who refused to stay outside. Washing her hands, Maura smiled at the blonde girl next to her. 

"You're so pretty," the girl said. "How did you land the Big Mister?"

Maura laughed, confused. "The Big-? Oh, you mean Mr. Pine? I just work for his company."

The girl nodded with a knowing smile. "I'm Rose." 

'What _is_ it with flower names for escorts?' Maura thought, shaking her hand. "I'm Maura."

Rose had beautiful Moorish features, but the orange-blonde do resulted from black hair and cheap blonde dye. Walking out together, the girl was immediately yanked to the side by a brutal fist on her arm. "I told you to be waiting here for me, you bitch!" It was one of the mercenaries the Corporation was entertaining upstairs, very drunk. 

"I'm sorry!" said Rose fearfully as his grip tightened. The drunk pulled on her dress, tearing it. Maura looked to her two hulking shadows, and they both ignored the brutality. Rose was stumbling on her high heels as the man started yanking her down the hallway, when the blonde protested, he slapped her, hard. 

"Oh! Excuse me," Maura giggled, sounding drunk as she wobbled after them. "Rose I think I have your lipstick..." As the drunk mercenary turned with a leer, Maura pretended to stumble into him as she jammed two fingers viciously into the soft tissue just under his chin. Rose stared open-mouthed as the man dropped like a rock. "Are you getting paid for the party?" Maura asked her.

Rose shook her head. "I can't go home until I make at least 21,000 dinar," she said dolefully. "It's all right. Thank you for helping me."

Maura impulsively took off the necklace Thomas told her to wear that night. "Here, I'm sure this is worth that much." Rose was shaking her head in confusion, and as Maura saw a furious Pine bearing down on them, she shooed the blonde off. 

"I made it very clear that you were to stay at the table!" He hissed, enraged. "Where in bloody hell did you go? How dare you defy me!"

"I didn't!" Protested Maura, "I- I'm sorry, I just went to the ladies', these two apes came with me. It was all I could do to keep them out of the stall!"

Thomas looked down at the unconscious merecenary. "And this? I'm certain this is your doing."

Martinez leaned in, "MacLaren knocked him out," he offered helpfully.

Thomas rounded on him. "And where the hell were you two? What the fuck did you think you were doing, letting her go after that man? He could have killed her!"

Maura shot him a death glare. "He was hurting one of the girls!" She explained, "he was beating her up- I couldn't just-"

Pine loomed over her angrily. "Yes, you could have left it alone. You could have _not_ damaged a Corporate affiliate." He placed a hand on her back and started moving her through the club, the security men anxiously following behind. Once inside the Mercedes, Thomas looked at her sharply. "Where is your necklace?"

Putting a guilty hand to her throat, Maura admitted "Um, I might have given it to the escort."

She didn't think his voice could be colder, but Maura was wrong. _"You just gave a £15,000 diamond necklace to a whore?"_

Her jaw dropped. "£15,000? Oh..."

The rest of the ride was in frigid silence, and Pine took her briskly to the hotel suite, where she paced nervously while he set guards for the night. When he walked into the bedroom, ripping off his tie and jacket, she tried to apologize. "Sir, I'm very sorry. I had no idea the necklace was so expensive, I-" She was face down on his lap with her dress pulled up before Maura could finish the sentence.

"Tomorrow, when I am less likely to kill you," he said between gritted teeth, "you will be disciplined for your behavior." Maura stiffened as she felt the sting of the hypo. Before she could even protest, she was limp and unresponsive on his lap. 

 

It was only a few hours later when Thomas woke to the sound of crying from the woman next to him. "Shhhhh... Your family is safe, you're all right. Sleep now." But this night his words didn't comfort a sobbing Maura. 

"...cupcake..." She wept, "c- cupcake!" 

Thomas tilted his head, looking at the tears streaming down her face. "What, sweetheart?"

"C- cupcake! I need a cupcake and a candle!" Maura's sobs were beginning to choke her.

"Hush, darling," he tried to soothe  her. "I'll get you a cupcake tomorrow, all right?"

But she was inconsolable, clinging to his hand and pleading for her cupcake. Thomas sighed, picking up the hotel phone and dialing room service.

"Good evening Mr Pine, how may we be of service?"

"Look-" Thomas ran his hand over his forehead, "I need a cupcake and a small candle, immediately."

Silence. "A...cupcake, Mr Pine?" 

"Yes! A small cake with sugar icing- surely you've heard of such a thing!" 

"Of course, Sir. Right away."

Listening to Maura's desperate hitching sobs, Thomas urgently added, "a £50 note if it's here within ten minutes!" By the time he heard the knock on the door and the muted voice of his security, he'd soothed her down to soft weeping. Seizing the tray from the perplexed bodyguard and shutting the door in his face, Thomas was back to the bed in an instant.

"There dove, no more crying, here's your cupcake." Still hovering between asleep and awake, Maura sat, blindly reaching for the plate. 

She hitched a sob, "you have to light the candle or it's not right."

Shaking his head, Thomas got up to find a lighter, putting the candle into the cupcake.  

Maura bowed her head, whispering "Breithlá sona duit, Abigail and Carin...Sláinte chugat...Bail ó Dhia ort. Morrighann brea' liom tu'. Gcónaí" Smiling tenderly, she blew out the candle and crossed herself. "In the Lord's name, Amen."

"In the Lord's name, Amen," Thomas echoed automatically, taking the plate from her and helping her lie down. Fetching a dampened face cloth from the bathroom, he gently wiped her face clear of tears and helped her drink some water. "Do you think you can sleep now?" She nodded sleepily and laid her head on his lap, asleep within seconds. Thomas sat up for hours, idly stroking her hair. He couldn't remember the last time he uttered the name of a God he no longer believed in.

_Misneach - show some strength_

  _Bail ó Dhia ort - Irish Gaelic for "The Blessings of God upon you"_

_Breithlá sona duit - "Happy Birthday"_

_Sláinte chugat - "Good health and safe life to you"_

_Morrighann brea' liom tu'. Gcónaí -"Morrighann loves you, always."_

 

 


	21. Welcome To The Sahara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura gets to blow shit up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to Snowbird89, Adela and Kristina for excellent ideas that moved me past writer's block. You are made of Awesome and smell like cream cheese frosting. 
> 
>  
> 
> Trigger warning for discussion of murder and violence. However, this is the chapter to start reading again with both eyes open, if you were hiding from heartless Thomas.

The first thing that met Maura's weary eyes the next afternoon was the cupcake, still sitting with the candle on her bedside table. Staring at it, her mouth automatically watered. As children, she and the others never got sweets. The closest thing to dessert in their shabby apartment was the nauseatingly sweet, cheap wine her Ma could afford, guzzling it as Maura would put the others to bed. So, any baked item with a dab of frosting back then was heaven. Slowly reaching out, she picked up the candle, still coated with the icing at the base after being plucked out of the dessert. Reflectively putting it to her mouth, she tried to remember why it was there. The memories of the night before came back slowly, Thomas enraged about the necklace and promising "discipline" today. Fuzzier were the flashes of memory of him handing her the cupcake and lighting the candle for her. Maura smiled sweetly. No matter what horrible thing happened today, she'd hold on to the memory of being able to wish her girls "Happy Birthday" after all, thanks to Thomas's puzzling kindness.

Slowly pulling out the drawer below the cupcake, Maura retrieved the packages of coffee and began to force herself to eat them, one by one. Fortunately, the glass of water Thomas fetched for her last night was still there, so she alternated swallows of bitter grounds with water and nibbles of cupcake. After twenty minutes or so, she started feeling the strength come back into her arms and legs. 'I'm feeling better sooner today,' she speculated. 'I wonder if Thomas lowered the amount, thinking he was overdosing me?' Maura grinned spitefully. Good. Let him wonder. Getting out of bed, she started forcing feeling back into her arms and legs, pacing back and forth. Hastily refilling the glass after drinking as much water as she could stand, Maura tried to replace everything as it was. She was stubbornly going through martial arts warm-ups with all the skill of an octogenarian when she heard the outside door open. Leaping back into bed, Maura curled to her side, facing the door.

"Pet." His low, sultry voice always made her quiver a little. She felt his warm hand on her forehead. "How do you feel?"

She shifted under the covers, hoping he couldn't feel her speeding heartbeat. "M'okay. What time is it?"

"Lunchtime," he said to her surprise. "You're not getting enough to eat and you're getting too thin."

Maura let him roll her over and help her sit up. "Thank you...for last night, I mean," she offered awkwardly.

His eyes were cobalt this afternoon, studying her intently. "When did you see your sisters last?"

She tucked a curl behind her ear, uncomfortable with the intimacy of the moment. "Um, ten years."

The cold and indifferent Thomas Pine felt a twinge in the general location of where a heart would reside. Ten years. She'd been lighting candles for sisters who thought she was dead for a decade, praying for their protection and happiness with her Irish Gaelic and a cheap cupcake. Speaking of said cupcake... He looked to the bedside table. "You've eaten, Pet. That pleases me greatly." Remembering she'd not had anything else for nearly 48 hours, Thomas stood and brought over a tray, fragrant with spices. He watched as Maura shrunk back from the food. "Pet," he said gravely, "I will not add drugs to your food. You have my word. You're losing too much weight and you're going to become very sick." Pine's tone turned chilly again. "But if you insult my generosity by attempting to purge yourself again, I will immobilize you and feed you protein drinks through an IV." Thomas leaned forward menacingly. "Do you understand?"

"Perfectly," Maura whispered through dry lips. 

And just like that, Thomas was back to his smooth and urbane self. "Let's have some lunch, you need calories. Would you like to eat on the terrace?"

Maura would have loved to, very much. But she thought looking pitiful and helpless would be easier in bed. Thomas helped her to the bathroom first, blessedly not staying as she used the toilet and washed her hands. He carried her back, and Maura noticed he'd straightened the sheets and fluffed her pillows. Clenching her toes as the only source of frustration relief he couldn't witness, the girl sat passively as Pine hand-fed her lunch. Wiping her mouth between sips of soup, Thomas examined her closely. "We're moving out today," he said abruptly.

Eyes wide, Maura asked, "Where? All of us?"

He shook his head, standing up to put the tray on the table. "There's three separate units from the Corporation, now." Looking over his shoulder at her, he offered "Would you like a cup of coffee to help you get some energy?"

She just barely stopped herself from frantically shaking her head. "I- I don't do well with coffee, makes me sick. The food's making my blood sugar rise, I can feel it, thank you."

"Very well. Let's get you up and walking a bit. We'll need to leave soon." Thomas reached for her, and Maura lifted her arms, the helpless movement almost habit.

 To her shock and utter joy, Pine took her down the elevator and out the back of the hotel to the white sand beach. Maura stubbornly quelled her joy by reciting from the operative lectures. 'Containment and dependence require the balance of denial and generosity. Seventy-five percent denial, coupled with twenty-five percent indulgence cement the subject's dependence and gratitude for their captor.' Even while stubbornly reciting the chapter in her head, Maura couldn't help feeling the pleasure of the salt breeze against her face, the texture of the sand on her bare feet. Long before she wanted to, she pretended to slow and finally stumbled once.

Thomas easily picked her up. "Let's get you back-" he started.

"Could- do you think we could just sit here for a moment?" Pleaded Maura, "It's such a nice afternoon..."

Surprising her again, Thomas placed her on her bottom and gestured to their security team to stand back a bit. They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the sound of the waves breaking against the beach. Building her courage, Maura asked "You said your beautiful piano is from your mother. Is...um...is she alive still?" She braced for a sweep of cold rage from Pine, but he sat still, looking at the Mediterranean.

"No," he said finally. "She died about ten years ago."

"As did I," Maura said unthinkingly. Thomas looked at her sharply, eyes narrowing. "Ah- ah, is your father still here?" She asked, trying to distract him. "I mean, do you see him?"

Maura was cringing inside, waiting for him to sweep her up in a icy fury and return her to bed. "The Pastor," Thomas said, "has been cold and dead three years now."

It felt like a training exercise once where Maura was required to navigate a live minefield. "I'm guessing you and your father didn't get along. He was clergy?" 

"Oh, yes." His hiss was sibilant with distaste. "His calling was his life." 

Anothet fragment of the night before surfaced in her mind, of Thomas repeating "in the Lord's name, Amen" with her, almost reflexively. Like muscle memory.

"Was that what you meant with the comment about their community duties?" Maura probed. His polar blue eyes looked down at her and she shivered, suddenly chilled to the bone. Thomas picked her up and carried her back to the room without another word.

"Can you dress yourself?" was the only thing he asked her, putting her on the bench in front of the makeup and mirrors. Maura nodded and he left the room without another word. Bolting from the table, she ran for the two coffee makers, one in the bathroom, the other in the bedroom. As she'd hoped, the hotel's efficient room service had replaced the coffee packets she'd taken. But where to put them? Maura chewed her lip. Other than her makeup bag, she wasn't given any of her personal items, clothes and jewelry just appeared in the bed. Another tactic, she thought bitterly. Deprive the captive of any items that define her, reducing her ability to hold self-identity. Yanking her makeup out of the bag, Maura stuffed the caffeinated contraband inside. Quickly checking the outfit Thomas left for her, Maura was thrilled to find a linen jacket that could hold the makeup. She was dressed and sitting placidly on the bed when Pine returned, doing that unnerving visual circuit of her face and body. "You look lovely, Pet," he praised. She donned the shell pink silk top and cropped linen trousers with flats this time. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, and Thomas idly ran his fingers down her neck. "It does need something..." he purred, pulling out the platinum choker again. Pulling her to a mirror, Thomas stood behind her to fasten it. It was then the significance of all the expensive necklaces hit Maura. Pine was collaring her.

 

Another Mercedes took them to a private airfield just outside of Algiers. Maura shamelessly kept her nose pressed against the glass, enjoying all the color and cacophony of the city. Thomas watched her, a faint smile on his face. "I've never seen you so...touristy, Pet." 

Maura flashed him a little grin. "I love walking through new cities, but from the car window will do." She was so unselfconscious in her pleasure that simply watching her made him smile and chuckle too. At the runway, the company jet was waiting, several workmen loading supplies and equipment while a disheveled Hoult sat on a packing box, typing away on his laptop. 

"Hoult," greeted Thomas as they emerged from the car, "everything in place?"

Nicholas nodded, shoving his glasses back up his nose. "But O'Connell wants a word." To her displeasure, Pine sat Maura near Hoult before leaving in search of O'Connell. There was dead silence for several minutes, she stubbornly staring out at the airfield and he pretending to read on his laptop. "I'm sorry, you know." He blurted suddenly, "I- it's my job to find things that are hidden. It was an order. I had to."

The uncomfortable silence was back as Maura struggled to control her urge to flatten him with every ounce of strength in her body. Finally, she managed, "I haven't been able to see my sisters for ten years. Ten. If anything happens to my family because you exposed them to the Corporation," she finally looked at him, pushing her face closer to his. "I will _gut_ you." She hissed. Maura turned to see Thomas watching them carefully.  Forcing herself back into her softer posture, Maura averted her eyes from them both. She stood as Pine's arm slipped under hers, walking her up the stairs of the jet. To her surprise, he didn't drug her this time, allowing her to stay awake while everyone boarded. To Maura's relief, Bender and Kingston were not among them. 'That must be what Thomas meant by splitting into three teams,' she thought, 'the question is, what is _our_ team doing?'

That was answered quickly as Thomas introduced her to a red-headed giant. "Robert O'Connell, this is...an employee of ours, Maura MacLaren."

"PLEASURE," he boomed, shaking her slim hand vigorously. "ALWAYS LOVELY TO MEET ANOTHER OF THE IRISH." 

Maura tried to suppress her giggle. "A pleasure indeed, Mr. O'Connell." He had the look of mercenary about him, but not the blank-eyed stare she was used to from their kind.

Pine's voice was carefully hiding his amusement. "Mr. O'Connell is our mining explosives expert. He'll be heading up the dig."

"I see," Maura's eyes were sparkling as she watched the gigantic ginger swallow half a beer in one go.

"YOU'LL HAVE TO COME BY FOR A BLOW OR TWO, EH?" O'Connell invited, "NEVER MET AN IRISH THAT DIDN'T LIKE TO BLOW SHIT UP!"

Thomas looked with a mild sense of concern between the two as Maura eagerly nodded. "I'd love that, Mr. O'Connell! Thank you!" 

Brow furrowed but still smiling, Thomas urged O'Connell away, "Come along, you IRA miscreant, I need to introduce you to the equipment supervisor."

Maura pretended to fall asleep, thinking the others might feel more comfortable speaking if they thought she wasn't aware. But nothing interesting met her ears until the announcement from the pilot that the jet was landing soon. "Pet," she could hear Thomas purr into her ear as he gently pulled her upright and fastened her into her seat belt. "We're about to land, darling."

"So soon?" she asked in faux sleepiness. Looking out the window, she gasped. "Where are we?"

"The Western Sahara," he said, strapping himself in. Looking at her wide-eyed expression, Thomas suddenly leaned over. "Do you see the runway below us?" She nodded excitedly. It looked like a straight yellow ribbon in the middle of the shifting sands. "It's created from the sand-sprayed with a chemical that hardens it to a concrete-like consistency. But the chemical element allows for some fluidity, so the runway doesn't crack under pressure over an unstable base. Flights into dangerous regions have more than doubled because rescue workers and smaller communities could create a stable landing strip from local soil and sand to bring in air cargo."

"That's fascinating," she marveled. "Who developed the stabilizing element?"

Pine's eyes narrowed into a small smile. "The Corporation."

 

The heat slammed into them like a blast furnace when they deplaned from the jet, Maura and Thomas slipping sunglasses over their pale eyes immediately. "Here, Pet." he said, putting her into a jeep. Hoult and a couple of others crowded in as well, and Thomas put Maura on his lap to make more room. Strangely, it felt intimate to her, Pine's strong arms wrapping around her as they jolted along an unsteady road. Her fragrant hair kept brushing along his jaw, and Maura could feel the warmth of his breath on her neck. Maybe it was being held this way in front of the others, she thought, not like he was showing off his whore, but in a kind and protective grasp meant to keep her safe. Somewhere in Maura's brain, a ledger was being written, and the way Thomas held her went into the column headed up by the cupcake. It was only a short distance to an outcropping of tents, tall and sturdy ones, with air conditioners and generators already buzzing. 

A tall man with richly colored skin so black that it was almost blue, helped Maura out of the jeep. "Good afternoon, Mr. Pine." He said in perfect English, "I hope your journey was comfortable?"

"Very much so, thank you. Mr. Sahnoun, this is Nicholas Hoult, Robert O'Connell and Maura MacLaren. Miss MacLaren will be in my tent." Sahnoun smiled and shook hands with them all, seamlessly ushering them to their tents at the same time. 

"Delighted to meet you all. Miss MacLaren, I fear our camp is a bit primitive, but I feel sure we can make you comfortable." He was bringing Maura into their tent as a porter carried their luggage. Looking around the bright, spotless tent filled with plump cushions and fabrics, already cool from the industrious air conditioner, she shook her head and smiled.

"I think you are too modest, Mr. Sahnoun, this is paradise! How could you make such a luxurious space in the middle of the Sahara?"

He chuckled and bowed, "Now I think you are being too kind, Miss MacLaren, but I am here to help. Please let me know if there's something I can bring to make you more comfortable."

Pulling off her soft linen jacket, Maura suggested, "Perhaps if you could just show me where I could get some water? I can just bring it back myself?"

Sahnoun moved to a table on the other side of the tent, opening a mini-fridge and pouring her a glass of water, adding ice with a flourish. Maura laughed and shook her head, pleased by the ridiculous luxury of a full bar in the middle of the Western Sahara. The man then deftly made a Jameson with exactly three ice cubes for Thomas. "I see you haven't forgotten, my friend." Pine toasted Sahnoun as he took an appreciative sip. They chuckled together as Maura looked between the two. 

"I gather this is not the first time you scoundrels have met?" She teased.

Pine's brow rose as he and Sahnoun looked at each other. "We've had dealings before, eh?"

Beginning to laugh, Sahnoun assured, "if that's what you want to call it, my friend." Still chuckling, he exited the tent after bows to them were made and returned. 

"Is there a special way I should greet people here?" Maura asked, "a way I should show respect?"

Thomas looked at her with appreciation. She was the first westerner he'd brought to this country who'd thought to ask. "I can assume you know it's considered rude for men and women to greet each other here, unless the head of the household-" he pointed to himself, "that would be me in this case, introduces you. The correct greeting is 'marHaban'. You will only shake hands with other women, and be sure to use your right hand." Thomas took her left hand and lifted it to his lips. "The left hand in this culture is considered unclean. I've noticed that you sometimes lead with the other, being left-handed, of course. So it would be helpful to remember to lead with your right."

Maura's eyes were focused on her hand pressed against Pine's lips. Tiny sparks ran along the sensitive skin as his lips over over her knuckles, then onto her palm as he turned her hand over. When Thomas began tracing the lines of her skin with his tongue, her lids drooped. He'd noticed she was left-handed? Such a small thing, but it still warmed her. The buzz of the electronics around them started fading as his lips made their way to the thin skin of her wrist, trailing the nerves in the inner elbow, and finally to her exposed shoulder and neck. Maura let out the smallest sigh as she felt the cool trail of his tongue lead to just under her ear. Pulling back from her, Thomas looked her up and down, his eyes turned the intent azure color that told her he would have her on her back in moments. Pulling the silk tank top off, he unsnapped her pretty pink bra and ran his thumbs over her nipples, which stiffened in appreciation. Running her hands down his hard chest, Maura smiled at how gorgeous he looked in a white oxford and kakhis. Kissing his neck as Thomas ran his hands under her ass, yanking her upwards, she sighed as he took her across the tent and put her on the pile of cushions on the colorful bed. He slipped her pants off while Maura tried to unbutton his shirt, feeling guilty that she wasn't putting up more of a fight than this. But the fact that Pine didn't drug her and the cupcake incident made her dangerously soft. The feel of his hard chest against her, wirey hairs on his pectorals tickling her sensitive nipples made her move helplessly from side to side, trying to gain more friction. His diabolical tongue moved from inside her mouth to trail down her neck and onto one pink nipple, sucking hard enough to make Maura yelp. Wrapping her strong legs around his waist, she forced herself not to squeeze too hard, she was expected to still be weakened from the drugs last night. But when Thomas slipped one long finger inside her undies, Maura's legs clenched against him without thinking. "Mmmmm," he groaned with approval, "you're already so slick, Pet. Beautiful." They both stiffened when a loud knock on the door shattered the spell, and Maura's head dropped back with a sigh. Fingers still stroking her, Pine irritably called out "WHAT!"

One of his security detail called back nervously, "Mr. Kingston is on the satellite phone, sir. He's waiting to speak to you?"

Sighing, Thomas pulled his zipper back up. "On my way." Standing over her prone form with his legs spread, he rapidly buttoned up his shirt. Suddenly shy, Maura tried to sit up and put her bra back on. A broad hand landed between her breasts, pushing her back gently. "Don't you dare move," Thomas groaned. "I'll be back in a moment." The hand slid up to her neck, twisting slightly to rest his thumb on her chin, pushing it up to make Maura look at him. Trying to gauge his mood, she was relieved to see his eyes weren't the polar pale that meant trouble. "Back in a moment," he repeated, kissing her soundly and strutting out the door of the tent, not noticing he was already sporting a magnificent erection. 

Shoulders shaking with effort, Maura made sure he would be out of earshot before bursting into laughter. 'Serves him right,' she thought, breaking into laughter again. Crude jesting outside the tent told her that a couple of the men already spotted their boss's...enlargement. 

 

"Back in a moment" turned out to be over an hour, so Maura went back to doing warm-up moves for martial arts. Clearly, they were on one of the dig sites for the REE's, she guessed they needed to show samplings to prove to the bidding governments the material was as plentiful as they claimed. Who did the Corporation leave in Algiers for the overthrow? Maura shuddered as she correctly guessed Bender. He was the thug of the three, the most interested in violence and warfare. She almost wished it was Thomas, because at least he'd make sure the new regime was in place with a minimum of bloodshed, based on his disposal of the chemical weapons.

"MISS MACLAREN ARE YOU IN THERE?" Maura nearly jumped out of her skin as O'Connell's voice roared outside the door of the tent. "DO YOU WANT TO COME OUT AND BLOW SOME SHIT UP?" Laughing soundlessly, she clutched her stomach in hysterics as she made her way to the door and tried to compose herself. 

"Mr. O'Connell, I'd love to but I'm not sure where Thomas is, and I-"

"OH! JUST PASSED HIM AND PINE SUGGESTED I STOP BY. HE'S ON THE PHONE ARGUING WITH SOMEONE ABOUT SOME SUCH." O'Connell's broad red face held a smile.

"Let's just head in his direction for a moment then, but you know I'd love to see some explosions!" Maura said, trying to temper caution with her enthusiasm.

A cross between pity and understanding moved over O'Connell's expression and was gone so quickly she almost didn't catch it. "GOT YOU ON A SHORT LEASH? COME ON THEN, IRISH."

In the distance, Maura could see Thomas pacing with the satellite phone. He was usually very contained when it came to his emotions, but she knew his moods well enough now to know he was furious, based on his short choppy gestures and the way he ran his hand through his hair. Her steps slowed apprehensively, but when Thomas looked up, he nodded to them both before continuing his conversation. Watching the two head in the other direction, Pine forced his attention back to Kingston, ranting about Bender. "-Stupid bastard tried to kidnap the president's wife! As if the man gives a shit about her! For god's sake, he had three mistresses waiting in the wings!" Thomas pinched his fingertips on the bridge of his nose, trying to push back the headache forming there. "...so now the government's alerted to a possible coup and the military's on alert!"

"Ben, have calm. We _own_ the military, remember?" Thomas advised. "Where is the president's wife now?"

"Oh, Michael killed her, of course," First in Command said indifferently. The headache Pine tried to avert slammed into his temples. 

"Bloodthirsty arsehole!" He groaned. "Pull everyone back. Let's send out a standard ransom note requesting money and let the local police chase around after that for a while. She must...her body must disappear with no trace."

"Agreed," Kingston said sourly. "Let's hold for 72 hours. Bugger all!" He hissed, "that's another twelve million pounds to keep our hired men in place."

Thomas ground his teeth, trying to control his temper. "What happened to the Corporation rule? No families?"

"That's your worry at this moment, my boy?" Roared Kingston, "this is the most lucrative operation in our history and you're worried about a _wife?_  Are you getting soft on me? This isn't the time!"

Rolling his eyes, Pine returned coldly, "setting up a round of press hysteria over a murdered First Lady doesn't help our cause, Kingston. That unstable bastard has undermined everything we planned for a quick coup." After another half hour of tense conversation, the two hung up. Averting his eyes from the blazing sun, Thomas shook with rage. The sick bastard murdered an innocent woman _._ This was all coming apart. The ground shook from a massive explosion, and his head shot up to see a plume of sand soar up into the sky. Shaking his head, Pine walked in the direction of the melee to see O'Connell and- was that his _Maura?_  -jumping up and down wildly, shrieking with excitement. 

"NOW YOUR TURN, MISSY! HAVE AT IT," encouraged the ruddy Irishman.

"Five. Four. Three. Two. ONE!" Maura screamed with excitement as she detonated another round of explosives. The two deranged children of Ireland high-fived each other, cheering the enormous plume of sand and smoke.

Thomas shook his head, putting his hands on his hips. "I'll be damned..." he murmured, trying not to smile at their obvious excitement and glee.

"SO. RIGHT THEN, IRISH. IT'S THE COMBINATION OF THE PLASTIQUE BEGINNING WITH THE FINISH OF THE DYNAMITE TO OPEN THE ROCK UNDERLAY, AND THEN-"

"O'Connell!" Shouted Pine with a grin, "what are you teaching Miss MacLaren? Are you mad? Do you think the girl needs another way to murder me?"

The two spun around guiltily, suddenly abashed. "Oh! We didn't see you!" Maura was desperately trying to wipe the huge and ridiculous grin off her face. 

"I could hear you two lunatics screeching from across the camp, as if the explosions weren't loud enough," chuckled Thomas, "O'Connell, what wildly dangerous things are you showing my- are you showing Miss MacLaren?"

"SHE'S A NATURAL, PINE! THE GIRL'S GOT A FEEL FOR IT, THAT'S CERTAIN!" O'Connell beamed fondly down at Maura, still flushed and laughing with excitement.

"Fifth generation IRA, brother!" She laughed, indulging in another high-five with the red-headed mercenary.

"Really," Thomas shook his head, still chuckling, "I must remember to keep the two of you separated at all times." Walking her back to their tent, Pine kept glancing down at her. Maura's cheeks were bright pink and her seagreen eyes were glowing. "I don't think I've ever seen you look happier, Pet."

She flushed, looking up at him. "It's just...so satisfying. Blowing shite up."

Thomas burst into laughter, putting one long arm around her waist. "Perhaps we've found you a new hobby, then."

 

The sun was hovering over the edge of the endless expanse of sand as they arrived back at the tent. Mr. Saunoun was just approaching with two large trays of food, followed by another porter with drinks. "I took the liberty of thinking you'd wish to dine alone tonight, Mr. Pine, rather than with the men?"

"Thank you," Thomas looked at Maura, who suddenly looked exhausted and hungry again. "That would be perfect, Mr. Saunoun." The two sat quietly as he served them, smiling and taking his leave as quickly as he came. Her ears were still ringing from the blasts, even with the protective headgear, and Maura rubbed the left one as she spread her napkin over her lap. "Still ringing?" Thomas said knowledgeably.

"Yes," Maura flushed, but laughed a little. "It's worth a little temporary hearing loss for an afternoon like that!"

"AS LONG AS YOU DON'T START TALKING LIKE O'CONNELL." Thomas barked, and she nearly spit her roast lamb out as she laughed. A rare warmth spread between them as they finished dinner, Maura talking about the location they were detonating for the dig. The lamplight was warmer than regular electrical lighting. Everyone opted to use lanterns in the tents to reserve the generator's electricity for mining work. Thomas admired the glow along her pink cheeks as they finished dessert. She paused for a moment as he reached over, his thumb gently brushing her cheek. "You've still got gunpowder on your cheek," he said, holding up his fingers to show her.

"Oh!" she put a hand to her face, "I must look ridiculous."

"Not at all," Pine gave her a rare, unguarded smile. "I just never knew you had this 'Boom' gene."

Maura smiled back. "It's genetic. I'm Irish, and I like to-" "Blow shite up," they finished together. Standing, Thomas pulled her to her feet. 

"Let's go bathe."

Confused, Maura asked, "where do we go?" She followed as he pulled her out to a much smaller tent next to theirs. It was open on one side, then enclosed from the elements on the other three. Heading inside, she gasped at the huge copper tub set in the center of the tent, steam already rising from the surface. "This is like some epic film, like 'Lawrence of Arabia,' how beautiful!" She marveled. Thomas cocked his head slightly, watching her with curiosity. He couldn't imagine another woman he'd bedded handling their Sahara encampment with anything but complaints and demands to leave immediately. Pulling his shirt off and then his pants, Pine strolled towards her. Pulling her long hair up, he wound it into a messy bun on top of her head. He caught her examining his eyes. 

"What are you looking for, Pet?" His hands smoothed her silk shirt and pants off, long fingers going for the clasp of her bra.

Maura shook her head, lowering her eyes. "Nothing..." She stood still, passively allowing him to undress her, then help her into the huge copper tub. As he slid in behind her, Thomas folded his long legs along hers, seating her on his lap to make room for them both. Looking up, she gasped. "It's so beautiful- look!" The opening in the tent faced the setting sun, and the two watched in awe as the fiery reds and oranges shot flames across the yellow sands as it sank over the horizon. She shook her head, "I've never seen such a thing...so elemental." Thomas absently rested his chin on top of her black hair, forgetting for a luxurious moment that Maura was a traitor and he was her captor. He didn't have much to compare the feeling to, but this almost felt like two people- what? Love? His hardened heart quickly reasserted itself. He soaped up a sponge, gently pushing her forward as he washed her back. Clean and wrapped in cotton robes, the two went back into their main tent to see that the efficient Saunoun had already been by to clear the dinner dishes and leave water and more candles for the night. Picking up her hairbrush, Thomas sat on the bed, knees spread. 

"Sit in front of me."

She did as he requested, settling on a cushion and leaning forward a bit as Thomas released her long tail of hair, beginning to brush it out. The silence was absolute, she pondered. No electronic noises now that the generator was off for the night, no sounds of traffic or people. The men were on the other end of the camp, and the wind didn't carry their voices in this direction. "It's so quiet," Maura suddenly volunteered. "I'm so used to constant noise, always just in the background."

"Hmmmm..." Thomas picked up another length of her inky locks, still brushing gently. "It struck me the first time we scouted here. It took a bit of getting used to, but now it's...soothing. The stillness makes it easier to rest the brain."

"I never thought your brain would shut off," Maura knew she was being daring, maybe it was the two glasses of wine, or the bath, but she couldn't stop. "Like a shark's, always circling around and around."

Thomas thought about what she said, idly gathering her smooth and silky hair in his hand, winding it over and over until it was wrapped around his fist. "Like a shark, I see." Ironically, he wasn't offended, it was a surprisingly accurate assessment. For longer than he could remember, Pine thought 10 moves ahead, covering every possible angle and contingency. It spoke to the growth of the Corporation, but most importantly, to his survival. Perhaps that's why Maura's betrayal was so utterly shocking- of everyone who could have been the operatives spying within his company, she was the last person he would have imagined. Her treachery shook his foundations. Why he couldn't seem to kill her shook them further, making Thomas question his judgement. His fist suddenly tightened, and Maura gasped, feeling her head pulled back. "Do you remember what I told you last night, Pet?"

Heart sinking, she replied truthfully, "I was hoping you'd forget."

"What did I say?" Thomas spoke right next to her ear, she could feel his lips move against the curve of her jaw.

"You said-" she swallowed, "you said that tomorrow, when you were less likely to kill me..."

"Yes?" He prompted.

"...you- I would be disciplined for giving away the necklace."

"That wasn't all, was it, Pet?" His lips were moving now, behind her ear, over the soft skin of her temple.

"Um...probably for knocking out the, uh...knocking out your new employee?"

"That's correct. Two offenses, both quite severe, don't you think?" His voice was poisonous, arousing.

"I don't- I guess that's up to you, Sir." Her hands were wrapped tightly around her knees, drawn to her chest. The shift from soothing and arousing to the uncertainty of his next move had her adrenaline spiking.

"Come, lay over my lap, Pet. Twenty for each offense."

 

Writhing helplessly on his lap, Maura found that forty blows to her bottom and thighs was much worse than the night in Pine's great room, even sparing her the sting of those damnable leather driving gloves. Even worse, he would stop at random times, playing idly with her clit or sliding a finger in and out of her, slicking  Maura's lips with her own arousal. She nearly broke and begged him when she lost count at a particularly nasty slap just under the buttocks and Thomas began again. After a torturous thirty minutes, they were close. Sniffing and fighting against her tears, Maura gritted out "Th- thirty-five, thank you Sir!"

Pine smoothed his huge palm gently over an ass so red it was almost purple. The forays he'd made down to Maura's tender inner thighs were the worst, since they were already wet from his relentless toying with her most sensitive parts. "And why am I disciplining you, Pet?"

"Because I gave away your necklace?" Maura's voice wavered, but she wasn't crying. Gasping at a nasty blow in her inner thigh, Maura stiffened again. "Thirty- um, thirty-six! Thank you, Sir."

"And why else?" came Thomas's voice, resonant and endlessly patient. His hand was soothing the sting on her thigh as the other stayed pressed against the small of her back, holding her in place.

"Because I knocked out that abusive bastard who was beating up a girl half his size?" Maura cringed, waiting for an extra hard slap to her bottom for the impertinence. 

His hand paused above her heated ass, considering her outburst. "Fair enough, Pet. I'll spare you one for a good point."

Maura made the mistake of sagging in relief and yelped loudly as his huge hand slapped down directly on her wet, swollen lips. "Thirty- thirty- are we thirty-seven or thirty-eight because you- AAAAH!" Thomas took advantage of her confusion to land another sharp blow in the same spot, and not waiting for a response, ran his fingers up her cleft, gathering moisture and landing the fortieth blow directly on her painfully aroused clitoris. Rather than the scream Thomas was expecting, Maura instead let out a nearly soundless gasp and came shuddering uncontrollably as she thrashed and writhed against his fingers. Running three long digits in and out of her, Thomas prolonged her orgasm until she moaned painfully, begging him to stop.

Swiftly lifting her on to the bed, Thomas placed an ice cube from his drink in his mouth, running his chilled tongue along her sore and heated tissues, slowly making his way back up until he was looking into her cloudy green eyes. When Maura stopped shaking, his cool tongue touched hers inside her mouth, leisurely running along her plump lips, sucking one and then the other. Moving down, his dark head hovered over her breasts, treating  both to a luxurious sucking kiss. Holding them in his calloused hands, Thomas looked up at her, his smile was sin. "I can never decide on the most beautiful part of you, Pet. These lovely pink nipples?" His long fingers flicked them as Maura moaned, sliding her hands into his hair. "Perhaps this little waist, or those hips that flare out just so to hold on to as I slam inside you?"

Maura's mouth was open in an unconscious invitation to kiss her again, so Pine did. "These lips? That sweet tongue? Mmmmmm..." He murmured in surprise when she caught his roaming tongue, sucking it into her mouth for the first time, tasting the Jameson and the mint from their dinner. His wicked fingers slid down over her belly again, moving behind her to squeeze her sore bottom. Thomas chuckled as Maura released his tongue as she gasped. "Perhaps this exquisite, shapely bottom that turns such a lovely shade of scarlet..." She moaned in relief when he released her sore posterior, rolling Maura over on to her knees, pulling her hips up to meet him.

They moaned together as Thomas plunged inside her, nearly sinking half of him inside on the first thrust. "...but it has to be this perfect, luscious kitty, darling. God, I wish I never had to leave it." His hands went to Maura's hips, holding her still as he moved in and out, edging deeper into her clutching pussy. 

'It must be the endorphins,' she thought, half out her mind with pleasure. '...that's it, the endorphins because I can't even feel him hitting my ass and that should hurt, shouldn't it? Yeah a lot...oh, GOD, he's moving his hips that way he did when he was dancing, it was like he was inside me in public then...'

Thomas was getting closer, and he pulled Maura by her platinum necklace upright, listening to her choked gasp with a smile. She stiffened fearfully against him, which essentially froze his painfully swollen cock in place. "Shhhh..." He soothed, one hand sliding down her belly to her clit, stroking it with the softest of touches. His other arm came over her breasts and shoulder, holding Maura in place as he started stroking inside her again. She'd never felt this before, never been taken like this. Pine's wonderfully thick cock rubbed against her front wall harder, stroking against her G spot over and over. 

Blindly reaching back to touch him, Maura grasped his ass, making Thomas chuckle. "Hold on then, darling. Hold on..." He listened carefully to her breathing, waiting until he knew she was ready. Thrusting in as far and he could go and stilling his body, Thomas held her still. "Shhhh..." He whispered, "the only thing in this desert is the slick sound of my finger on your pretty little clit. Can you hear it?" Shaking with the strain of being forced to hold still so close to coming, it took Maura a moment to gather what was left of her thoughts not devoted to an orgasm to hear the soft, wet sound of his calloused fingertip on her painfully sensitive nerves. "Hear it, darling?" Thomas' relentless voice demanded. 

"Yes-" she moaned pitifully, "I do, I hear it."

"Such a good girl," he purred, a lascivious growl that echoed in the thin bones of her skull. "When you hear the third, you may come." Maura's breath caught in her throat, terrified that even bringing oxygen to her lungs would deprive her of the thing she needed desperately. 

'One...' her lips moved soundlessly. 'Two...' Maura's head fell back against Pine's collarbone as she felt the third tap firmly against her clitoris and the sudden surge upwards of his cock against her. "Thomas!" Maura shrieked at the top of her lungs, "oh, GOD, Sir! Oh..." 

The last thing she remembered was his pleased growl as her spasming pussy poured its sweetness over his erupting cock and onto his thighs as they came together.

Biting into Maura's shoulder, the tendons in Thomas's arms pulled taut, struggling to keep upright as the explosion seemed to radiate out from his dick, searing his hips, ass and back until the sparks along his nerve endings pulled back to the sensation of his cock buried inside her convulsing heat. As Maura went limp, Pine gently laid her on her side on the soft cushions. "My lovely girl?" He grinned when he realized that for the second time, he'd actually made his lover pass out from his attentions. It was so different from the escorts, or the women who threw themselves at him for money or hope of conquering the 'bad boy.' Maura-despite having betrayed him- was still refreshingly sincere in her responses. Idly playing with her silky juices, he rubbed them together with his own on her sleek belly, until remembering his responsibilities and performed aftercare. He gently washed her clean and applied cream to her sore bottom and overworked pussy.

Curling behind Maura and enveloping her like a large and sated cat, Thomas looked out at the moon until he realized his brain was slowing its relentless calculations and he, too, feel deeply asleep.

 


	22. Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thomas gets a clue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even the brightest man can be an utterly stupid bastard. Thomas proves that here.

The sun was not yet crawling over the endless stretch of sand the next morning when Thomas realized he hadn't drugged Maura the night before. Looking over at her, he considered lowering the dose in the hypo and doing it now, just to keep her asleep and under control while he concentrated on the dig. Watching her sleep, Thomas felt that odd twinge again. He could hear the soft exhale of her breath, the black fan of her lashes on her pale cheeks. But there was a flush under her skin and she looked utterly content. His brow furrowed. How could she possibly be anything other than cowed and miserable? But putting a hand over his forehead and looking up at the soft movement of the tent above him, Pine had to admit he'd never seen her happier than yesterday. Screaming like a lunatic with O'Connell ( _there_ was a match made in IRA hell, he noted) eagerly watching the sights and sounds of the Sahara, even that wildly passionate sex, when she sucked his tongue into _her_ mouth, she'd been nothing but joyful. Her easy smile, the un-selfconscious way she'd look at him-Thomas's gut twisted. He liked it when she'd look back for him. He _craved_ it. Suddenly disgusted with himself, he rose gracefully from the pile of pillows and cushions. Thomas took out his medical kit and found the syringes. Walking back to his sleeping lover, he wiped an alcohol pad on her hip and poised the hypo. Looking at her relaxed face again, Pine pushed the plunger to remove half the solution, then injected it into her skin. Maura's eyes startled open, searching for a moment before finding his face. Her seagreen eyes looked at him with betrayal before closing again in a drugged sleep. Putting the syringe away and covering her back up, Pine stiffened his resolve. This was the right thing. The necessary thing.

Maura forced herself into consciousness as the sun's rays were angling into late afternoon. As she tried sitting up, the girl burst into tears. She angrily tried smothering her sobs but it took a minute. "That bastard!" she wept, feeling vaguely stupid for her hurt. "What did you expect?" Maura tried lecturing herself. "Did you think this was going to be a happy ending?" Her thin shoulders shook as Maura realized some foolish part of her had. Falling back on to the cushions, she angrily wiped her face and tried to concentrate. Where was her makeup case with the precious caffeine? Thomas packed the bag along with everything else. Looking around the room, she saw their suitcases on a trunk, already opened and clothing hung on a small rack. This was the first time she'd seen any of the clothes Thomas selected for her and Maura assumed Mr. Sahnoun unpacked them. 'The bag has to be over there,' she thought, steeling herself to crawl again.

The pile of cushions and pillows that made their night such a comfort were a nightmare this afternoon-the slippery pile making it impossible to navigate. Maura tried rolling on to her stomach to attempt slithering out of the mountain of cushions, but that made it worse. Unable to get enough strength in her arms to push them away, several silk items fell on to her face, blocking out the light. The reptile part of her brain starting shrieking again, the terrified signals shooting to her nerve endings and sending Maura's heart into overdrive. The girl was never one for panic attacks, but her inability to remove the soft, suffocating pillows made her arms and legs shake uncontrollably. Small, terrified moans rose from Maura's clenching throat and all she could picture was being buried alive. 'Maybe I deserve that,' she thought wildly, wondering if her Ma was still alive when they buried her in that pauper's grave. Maura had nightmares for weeks after the pitiful funeral, dreaming that her Ma woke from her drugged coma and screamed, scratching at the roof of the cheap wooden coffin. "It's all your fault, ya' little bitch! Ya' killed yer Ma!"

Maura's chest was too tight to scream, all she could do was flail her weakened arms and moan pitifully. As she managed to push one cushion away, another slid into it's place over her mouth and nose. Spots and flashes of light started sparking in her vision, and the girl heard the clinical part of her brain recite the symptoms of oxygen deprivation. "Limbs lose coordination and strength," the voice recited dispassionately, "motor functions slow. Muscle spasms begin in trunk and neck, thoughts become confused and..." It was. It was her Ma coming for her to punish her.  Ma would pull her into Hell an... Maura took a last frantic breath and the soft silk over her mouth sucked inwards, creating a seal. The breath hitched once in her chest, and her legs jerked violently, one knocking over a brass stand with a loud "clang!" next to the bed.

"MACLAREN!" The voice dripped down to Maura at the bottom of her well where she lay floating in the water. "IRISH! WAKE UP NOW, YA SILLY GIT! YOU WAKE UP THIS INSTANT!" Maura felt a mouth seal over hers and brutal pushes against her chest. They hurt. They were hurting so much and she wanted to push the hands away but her arms wouldn't move.

The mouth pushing air into her was suddenly pulled away and she could hear Thomas's frantic tone bubble down into her little cavern. "Maura! Darling, you have to breathe, come on, now!" His mouth slid over hers, pinching her nostrils shut and she could feel his warm breath seep into her lungs. Finally, with a terrified gasp, Maura sucked in a huge breath of searing desert air and shrieked in terror. The chest compression's stopped and Pine's arms pulled her upright. The girl knew she was hyperventilating, but the short, desperate hitches were all she could seem to manage. "...oxygen tank?" More mumbling and then a sharper "...get it now!" Suddenly, an oxygen mask was placed over her mouth and nose and Maura gained enough of her senses back to feel the flow of air. Sucking in gratefully, she could hear Thomas's deep tone in her ear. "Breathe in now, sweetheart. Nice and slow, Maura. Breathe in. Feel that? You're all right now. You're safe."

The spots receded from her vision and Maura could feel her heart rate slow again. Looking up with bloodshot eyes, she could see O'Connell and Sahnoun leaning over her with concern. Thomas's arms were around her, sitting behind her to keep her upright as he held the oxygen mask to her mouth. Maura stiffened and shoved away from Pine as hard as her weakened limbs would allow. "Don't- don't touch me," she gasped, "don't _ever_ fucking touch me again." 

Thomas frowned, looking down at her blue lips and terrified eyes, "darling, it's all right, it was an accident-"

Maura drew in one deep breath. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" She shrieked, beginning to cry again. Pine gritted his teeth, feeling the stares of the other two men on him.

"HERE, PINE- eh, Pine." O'Connell said with unaccustomed quiet, "let's go grab a pint, eh? Sahnoun has more medical training. He'll take care of Irish, all right?"

Thomas jerked his arm away from the Irishman's large hand, but Saunoun's quiet voice interceded. "I'll just watch over Miss MacLaren for a moment, Mr. Pine. She isn't herself right now, the young lady doesn't know what she's saying. She'll be fine, sir." Maura felt the man's cool hand on her forehead, murmuring in a language she didn't understand. Thomas backed out of the tent with jerky, uncoordinated steps as he watched her still weeping in terror. "Let's rest now, Wapenzi," Sahnoun soothed.

"No! NO!" she managed, "no sleeping! She'll come for me if I'm asleep! No! Don't let me sleep I'll die don't let me die!"

The dark porter looked up at Thomas, frozen at the tent's door with confusion, but continued to rock Maura, putting the oxygen mask back to her mouth. "I'll not let a soul touch you, Miss. Not from Below or Above."

Thomas let the gigantic ginger pull him away from the tent, Maura's sobs fading away. They entered the makeshift cantina, deserted except for them. O'Connell leaned into the cooler and took two bottles of Guinness, then drew them to a corner table. 'WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?" He asked.

Leaning his throbbing forehead against the cool bottle, Pine sighed. "Bad dreams or some such. Maura must have thought she was smothering under the cushions."

"BOLLOCKS, PINE!" O'Connell leaned forward. "HOW LONG HAVE WE KNOWN EACH OTHER?"

Thomas's jaw clenched. "That's not the point, O'Connell, and you're interfering in my personal affairs. The girl had a nightmare."

"ARE YOU DAFT, YOU STUPID ARSEHOLE? SHE NEARLY DIED! HER GODDAMNED LIPS AND FACE WERE BLUE! ANOTHER MINUTE AND SHE WOULD HAVE SUFFOCATED. SHE COULDN'T MOVE! SHE WAS DRUGGED, WASN'T SHE?"

"Shut the fuck up, O'Connell! You have no idea what you're saying right now!" shouted Pine. 

"THEN EXPLAIN IT, YOU DAFT PRICK! HOW DID MACLAREN ALMOST DIE?"

Thomas took another drink, then clenched his teeth, smashing the bottle against the table. "Have you forgotten who you work for, you deafened Irish arse? You _will_ not speak to me in that way-" His tirade was cut off when a big ruddy fist landed squarely on his cheekbone. The force of the blow from the red-headed giant knocked Pine clean off his chair and three feet away. He was back on his feet in a moment, charging O'Connell and knocking him over with a brutal blow to the midsection.

"OOOOF!" Gasped the Irishman, a grin on his face. Fighting. Now he was in his element. Unfortunately for him, so was Thomas. The two slammed into each other and began pounding any body part they could reach, rolling around the little tent, knocking over tables and finally hitting the bar shelves, which fell over with a resounding crash. The tragic loss of the liquor was finally enough to stop O'Connell. "WHAT HAVE YE' DONE, YE BASTARD! MACLAREN NEARLY DIES AND NOW THE WHISKEY IS GONE!"

Rolling painfully to a sitting position, Thomas shook off the broken glass and put his head in his hands. "I drugged her."

"YA' WHAT?" The ginger was sifting through the rubble, hoping to find an intact bottle.

His boss sighed and leaned his head against the shattered bar table. "I drugged Maura with a ketamine derivative. That's why she was too weak to get out of all the cushions. I should have thought of that- how many there were. The suffocation risk."

Grabbing an untouched Guinness, his explosives expert put it to his throbbing jaw. His gaze was level now as he stared back at an obviously shaken Pine. 'YA GONNA- ya' gonna tell me what the fuck is going on here, Pine?"

Staring at his clenched fists, Thomas told his friend about the leaks within the company, and his shock at finding his lover was one of them.

"YA DIDN'T JUST-" O'Connell sighed, this unaccustomed softness making his throat itch. "Ya dinna just kill her? Why?"

"I tried," Thomas wearily found some ice scattered on the floor and put it into a bar rag, holding it to his eye. "She actually knelt in front of me, not even resisting and looked up at me with those big green eyes of hers. Maura looked so sad, as if she thought she deserved it. I- I tried but I couldn't. So I held her hostage for her good behavior by threatening what's left of her family."

"I still DINNA GET- eh, get the ROOFIE?" Queried the Irishman. 

The eyes that met his were polar blue. "I wanted to punish her. How fucking dare she- So I knew her weakness- the thing she's most afraid of. Being helpless and not able to defend herself. So I made her into my- what did she call it? My flesh doll. Too weak to do anything without me, dependent on me for everything. All Maura had to do was submit- just submit to me completely and I'd stop the drugs. But the stupid girl still fought me."

O'Connell groaned. "An' here I thought you were the smartest man I knew. Ya stupid bastard! Can't you see the girl loves you? Jesus, Mary and Joseph, she loves your cold black heart! She was an operative for the British government, what the bloody hell did you _think_ she was supposed to do? And after all of this, the daft thing still loves you. Even in our Cambridge days, YOU WERE NEVER IN A SHORTAGE OF PRIME TAIL-" he sighed again, trying to keep his voice down. "But ya never wanted anything other than a shag and a quick 'thank you. Have you considered getting your head out of your arse? Here's a brilliant, beautiful girl who knows what an UNMITIGATED BASTARD YE ARE an- an' still loves ye."

Rubbing his forehead, Thomas sighed. "I have a government to overthrow, an insane partner to murder and keeping Kingston from killing my- my Maura. Getting her to look at me without screaming is a bit down on the list right now."

Standing up, the gigantic ginger stretched until his joints cracked. "So says the bloke who ran 16 illegal gaming operations whilst we were in Uni. Figure it the fuck out." The man hobbled out the door, tucking the last intact bottle in the bar underneath his massive arm.

 

Wapenzi: Swahili for "dear one"

 

 


	23. Dark Things & The Greater Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura discovers the nuance of dark things and hard choices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings for drug-related character death.

True to his word, Mr. Saunoun stayed with Maura the rest of the day, bringing her food and telling her stories. After quietly watching her floppy limbs and weak movements, he came back with a steaming mug of something and offered it to her. "This is just a tea, but it's quite...restorative," he said carefully. She looked at the mug for a long time, held steady in his blue-black hands. "It is not a drug," Saunoun was gentle. "It seems you've had enough of that today."

Maura looked up at him, "did Mr. Pine tell you to bring this?" she asked, a little ashamed of her defensive tone. 

Saunoun's dark face broke into a smile. "No. It is from me. Ubarikiwe mpendwa." Her shaky hand reached for it, and Saunoun held it steady as she drank.

He was right, after downing half the mug, Maura felt the strength return to her arms and legs, her thoughts more clear. "The language you're speaking, Mr. Saunoun. What is it?"

"Swahili, Miss Maura." He held the mug to her lips until it was nearly gone and she shook her head, unable to drink any more.

"How do you say 'thank you' in Swahili?"

"Bantu."

Maura smiled gratefully, shakily getting to her feet and walking slowly. "Then bantu, Mr. Saunoun. I'm grateful for your kindness."

After she went to the camp toilet, Maura came back to find a basin of warm water to freshen up. Saunoun walked quietly around the tent, straightening items. "What would you like to wear, Miss Maura?"

A huge grin spread across her face, "I'll pick something out, bantu, Mr. Saunoun." Maura felt ridiculously giddy at the freedom of selecting something for herself, finding a sleeveless white sundress that fell to midcalf, with sturdy sandals to keep out the broiling sand. Looking though the underwear selection, Maura's brow rose. Thomas must have bought out the entire stock at La Perla, because there was every kind and color of lingerie. Finally dressed, she brushed her hair and teeth, feeling happy to have such small luxuries. 

The porter returned with a large tray. "We have some time before the evening meal, and you must eat, my dear."

"Did Mr. Pine tell you that?" Maura said, defensive again.

Saunoun smiled, wrinkles crackling across his weathered face. "No. It is quite simple. You haven't broken your fast since yesterday. Come and have a little, won't you?"

Flushing, she smiled, "yes, of course. Bantu again."

To her surprise, Mr Saunoun sat with her as she ate, talking about the camp and little moments about the day. "I have known Mr. Pine for many years," he said, offering her a tray of dates. He watched shrewdly as her mouth tightened, looking down. "He seems...very hard and cold. He has done many dark things, it is true."

"Yes he has," Maura managed to not hiss as she answered him.

"But sometimes dark things must be done to achieve the greater good." Saunoun added, "this is something that is often hard to accept. Mr. Pine helped my region rid ourselves of an evil man. He used rape and torture as a method of war, took our children as soldiers."

"And the person in charge after, he was good to you all?" Maura asked in spite of herself.

His face fell into a thousand wrinkles again as Saunoun laughed. "Yes. And, no. He built himself a fine palace and made us pay very high taxes. But there was no more death or torture. We had many jobs in the mines he created to find the diamonds in the ground."

Maura's brow furrowed. "So, Mr Pine simply exchanged one dictator for another?"

His face was kind as the elderly man looked at her angry, defensive expression. "So young, so sure that the world exists in black and white, good and evil." Saunoun leaned over to take the tray off her lap. "Sometimes, my dear, the exchange for the very wicked for the sometimes good is a blessed one. Perhaps the only option possible. I know you are angry and terrified right now, but you know Mr. Pine did not intend to hurt you. It is clear to me, to the sky, to the Miungu that he cares for you. Deeply. I have known him for many years and never saw the softness on his face as he looks at you."

Hardening her heart, Maura looked away. "Bantu for your kindness and the wonderful meal, Mr. Sounoun. If it's all right, I would like to walk outside."

"Of course." 

 

But doing just that, Maura felt strange and exposed. She wasn't used to walking by herself, away from hovering security or the controlling hand of Thomas. She could feel cooling winds sweeping across the sands, beginning to herald night. Hearing the roaring of her favorite Irishman in the distance, Maura turned in that direction. 'RIGHT, SO BE SURE THE CHARGE IS EXACTLY ON THE TARGET MARKED TO THE LEFT, OR THE WHOLE BLOODY THING IS A COCKUP, D'YOU HEAR?"

"I hear, I hear, O'Connell," she laughed, walking up to the ruddy, sweating man.

"AH, YOU'RE UP AND ABOUT THEN, IRISH? GOOD TIMING THEN! LET'S BLOW SOME SHIT UP!" He took a minute to show Maura the wiring on the detonation box, explaining the sequence. "GOT IT, MISSY?"

Maura eagerly nodded, "yes! First two to the right, then the red wires."

"CORRECT. HAVE AT IT." The two put on their protective headwear and she carefully counted back "two right, now the reds- five! Four! Three! Two! One!" They shrieked with excitement at the massive explosion, dancing a mildly deranged jig around each other at the sand and rock rained down. Thomas stood in the distance, watching them as he listened to Kingston shout from the satellite phone he was gripping.

"-you're going to have to handle it, my boy. Bender is useless right now." Thomas rolled his eyes.

"That's certain, Ben. Are we still set for the incursion in 48 hours?"

"Yes, make sure you bring back O'Connell and the other contract men in case we need them. Do you have enough material yet to show France and the Saudis?"

Thomas rubbed the back of his neck. "We're finishing the detonation tonight, mining can begin in the morning. We've already located a huge vein, so it won't take long."

 

When the sun set, all the men gathered in the main tent to eat, and the noise halted for a moment as O'Connell and Maura walked in. She felt defiant, even with all the curious eyes on her. Sitting down with O'Connell quickly seating himself between her and the closest group of men, Maura looked around. There was at least 40 men, most still filthy from the day and staring at her avidly. Wiping self-consciously at her face, she leaned in and whispered to the big ginger, "do I have gunpowder on my face again? Why are they staring?"

He chuckled, reaching over her to snag the bread basket. "THEY'RE STARING BECAUSE YOU'RE THE BIG BOSS'S WOMAN AND THEY'RE NOT USED TO BEAUTIFUL LADIES IN A MINING CAMP. THE ONES WHO CAME WITH US ARE STARING BECAUSE MARTINEZ TOLD EVERYONE HOW YOU KNOCKED OUT A HIRED HAND TWICE YOUR SIZE WITH TWO FINGERS."

Maura sighed, "so much for subtlety, O'Connell." 

The chatter quieted again as Thomas walked in, dusty and sweating from the day. "Good work today, gentlemen! Keep up the pace and there's a 15% bonus by the day after tomorrow." Smiling at the cheers, he seated himself directly across from Maura and O'Connell. Appetite suddenly gone, she considered getting up and leaving, but noticing the men were all sneaking glances in their direction again, decided making a scene was not in her best interests. Refusing to look up, Maura ate quietly as Thomas and the Irishman talked about the dig. Saunoun came by with a dessert for Maura, smiling kindly as he took her plate. 

"Tell me when you are ready for your bath, Miss Maura," he spoke quietly.

Picking up her plate of honey and nuts, Maura said, "this is the perfect time, Mr. Saunoun." Part of her was waiting for an objection from Thomas, or an order for her to sit down, but neither came. He continued speaking with O'Connell in his low, controlled voice, not looking up as she left the tent.

Staring out at the glorious flames of the sunset as she bathed, Maura tried not to think about that afternoon. She'd not thought of Ma for years- literally erased her from her mind, until Thomas showed her that bizarre photo of her mother's charity gravestone. Why did he _do_ that? Maura frowned angrily, drawing up her knees and wrapping her arms around them defensively.

 

The weeks following Da's death were dark. The detective was the same who had been called for her brother's murder. Maura glared at him angrily when he'd walked through the door. "Look who's here, Detective Lennox. Would wa' believe Da slipped on tha' knife? Just like Jimmy fell and hit his head a thousand times-" Her voice broke. 

He sighed, passing a hand over his weathered face. "I've done wrong here, make no mistake young MacLaren." The sobs of the twins caught his eye, Maura trying to soothe them. The other girl- Meghan? was already loaded into the ambulance outside. That miserable drunk of a mother was caterwauling, hysterical as one officer tried to keep her in her chair. "Let's get to work, then. Morrighann, it's clear this was a tragic accident." He watched as the angry girl's mouth dropped open. "It's also clear your sister Meghan will need good care. I'll put in for a couple of victim reparation grants. You and your sisters should'na live here. Not with tha'," gesturing at her still screaming mother."

"Over my dead body will you take my babies!" Screamed her Ma, flailing towards the terrified little girls, trying to hold them to her stained dress.

Lennox gritted his teeth, "I'll be straight, Morrighann. We'll file with the court, it might take a bit, but I'll push it through."

Maura squared her jaw, "but foster care- I can't let-"

"You will all stay with my wife an' me," he interrupted. "We've fostered before. My wife has always wanted more little ones in the house."

The wait for word from Lennox seemed interminable. The sixteen year old did everything she could to hold her little family together, taking care of the twins and visiting Meghan in the care center every day, rubbing the little girl's feet and telling her funny stories. Nurses and orderlies learned that the teenager with the furious scowl was not to be crossed when it came to her sister's care. Ma continued to drink, sobbing and telling Abigail and Carin how "tha' goddam' Maura murdered yer Da! Poor sweet man, an' the Bacon round here doin' nothin' to that bloodthirsty bitch!" The loathsome refrain continued, over and over every day as Maura barely slept, trying to keep track of everything while waiting for court decision. She tried not to notice how the little ones shied away from her touch, refusing to let Maura put them to bed any more. And at last, as she tried to get them dressed for school with numb and exhausted fingers, Carin screamed "doan' you touch me, dúnmharú! Yeh are!" Maura blinked back her tears, shaking her head, too tired to argue and desperate to get them safely to school.

The call from Lennox came that afternoon, and Maura sagged against the wall of the diner where she was a waitress after school. "Pack their bits up, lass. I'm coming for them at school, the court officer will deliver the papers to yer Ma." 

Maura wiped her tears, smiling. "Better look for her at Jim's, then. Does this mean it's...it's over? The girls will be safe now?"

The detective sighed, "it's na' that easy, lass. The courts, they always lean on a mother's love. Your Ma, she still has visitation. She can see the girls weekly, petition to get them back after 90 days. What's more, she got wind of Meghan's grant for her care. Your Ma's soliciter filed a request to control the money from the grant."

"No!" The desperate denial burst from her, "no! You said-"

"I said we'd do everything we can, Morrighann. Don't you get all upset now. The girls will be safe. We won't give up and nor will you. Right, lass?" Lennox sighed, hearing her despairing silence. "Look, here's our address. My wife, her name's Maureen, she's lookin' forward to meeting you, Morrighann. Make your way there after you gather your things, please. Or if you want to wait, I can send a car in a couple of hours."

"No," she wiped the tears, beginning to smile. "It won't take long at'all."

But she was wrong. Ma wasn't on her back earning beer money at Jim's, she was at home, laying on their tattered couch with a needle in her arm. "Yer here..." she slurred. "Come'ere girl. I mighta' overdone..." Maura stared at the woman on the couch, wondering how it was possible her clean-hearted little sisters, her murdered brother could have come from the shuddering, sweating mess before her. Maura's seawater eyes dropped to the needle in her mother's arm. The syringe was empty, the plunger pushed to the bottom of a black, tarry mess. "Ya heard me, ya little murderin' bitch! Ya ma needs help here..." Maura's head tilted blankly to the side. How many times had she dragged her mother from a mess of her own vomit? Kept her from drowning as she passed out in the tub? Walked her back and forth, trying to get the drugs or booze or whatever out of her system?

It's like her mind turned sideways, and Morrighann saw clearly. "Detective Lennox called, Ma," she said conversationally. "The court order came through, you lost yer custody of the girls, that's certain. They're going to be safe now, away from you."

The woman on the couch flailed an arm, trying to strike at her daughter. "Dúnmharú! I woan' lose my babies! Not while there's breath in my body!"

Morrighann couldn't feel her feet, but they were walking away, going into the other room to pack the twin's pitiful belongings, finding the stuffed bunny Meghan hid under her bed for bad nights. She mechanically packed everything into two shopping bags she found under the sink, including her few clothes and the tiny stash of bills she'd been saving for the rent. Putting the bags next to the door, Morrighann's wooden footsteps returned to the couch. Foam and vomit coated her mother's mouth, her heaving chest beginning to slow. Part of the girl's brain screamed at her to _do_ something- to get her mother up and clear her airway, to help her walk- But she sat quietly, breathing slowly as she watched Ma's eyes glaze. "No more, Ma," she whispered, shaking her head sadly. "Ya gotta let them have a chance now." Then, Morrighann robotically turned, picking up the two bags and walking out the door, locking it behind her.

 

"That water must be freezing." Maura jerked violently, startled as the water splashed over the sides of the copper tub. It was full night now, and Thomas was correct, the water she huddled in was ice cold. He was standing in the opening of the tent, his blue eyes appraising her, brow furrowed at her expression. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she croaked. Clearing her throat, Maura tried again, "yes, of course. I'll hurry out so you can bathe."

Thomas shook his head. "It's all right. I took a shower in the group tent." He put a towel next to the tub and left the tent. Maura's jaw dropped. Thomas had never missed a chance to view her naked body. Drying and dressing for bed quickly, she ventured back to their tent. Thomas was sitting in the chair under the lamp, going over some charts from the dig. Maura stopped in front of the bed. All the cushions were gone, two large mattresses piled on top of each other replaced them. Pine's keen eyes followed hers. Nodding stiffly, Maura crept on to her side, curling up in a ball. She heard the soft movements of Thomas undressing and turning off the lanterns. She stiffened a bit as the mattress dipped as he made himself comfortable. 

To Maura's utter astonishment, the next thing she heard was Pine's deep, even breathing as he fell asleep. 

It was Thomas who dreamt that night. "Mother- let me help you-" waking to his groans, Maura laid still for a moment, trying to believe her ears. Thomas- cool emotionless Thomas was having a nightmare? "He's wrong- I can-" he groaned miserably, a sound utterly alien to him. 

Without thinking, she slid over to his shaking, sweating form. "Shhhh, Thomas, hush..." Maura soothed, wrapping her arms around him. "Your mother is well, she knows how much you love her..." His groans continued, and Maura kissed his forehead, his eyelids and cheeks. "Hush, dear one. Shhhh...you are a good son...everything is all right now...you're all right, Arúnsearc." 

His long arms suddenly wrapped around Maura tightly, Thomas still shuddering but breath returning to normal. "Maura..." It came out in an exhalation of breath, but she heard it. "My Maura-girl..." Winding her body against his, she kissed his forehead and fell asleep with his dark head on her breast.

"My secret beloved" Irish Gaelic: A rúnsearc

ubarikiwe mpendwa: Swahili for "blessed be, dear."

Miungu: Swahili god

dúnmharú: Irish Gaelic for "murderess"

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must confess, dear friends, that I didn't realize how rigid my own beliefs about right and wrong were still- even after I am old enough to know better. Thank you for walking through the discovery with me. Much appreciation for you.


	24. There's Always A Plan, Darling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thomas is no longer a stupid bastard.

When Thomas woke the next morning, it was to find they'd stayed wound around each other through the night. So tightly in fact, that he pondered which parts they'd need to remove to set the other free. It took examining the intricate nature of their embrace for him to remember the night before. Pine initially recalled the nightmare about his mother with shame, but the feeling of Maura's arms around him and the gentle sound of her voice as she soothed him- somewhere in what O'Connell called his "cold, black heart," Thomas felt something melt. Just a corner, perhaps, but a bit. It must have been the shock of his colossal stupidity in nearly losing her yesterday that brought on the nightmare about the loss of his mother. Alone and sick, he thought bitterly, with no one but The Pastor to care for her. Thomas's pale eyes looked up to Maura from his comfortable resting spot on her breasts to see her eyes were open. Clearing her throat, she managed "good morning?"

A slow smile broke over his face, and Thomas began inching his way up her body. "Why does it always sound like a question when you say that to me?"

Maura shrugged, eyes still fixed on his intent face. "Because with us, the moment is always uncertain?"

"True," he whispered, then leaned in to kiss her. Maura would never admit to herself whether it was simply too difficult to untangle from each other, or the fact that Thomas was genuinely shaken by her near death yesterday, but she raised her mouth to his immediately. It was hard to admit the truth: Maura had missed him the night before, missed falling asleep exhausted from her orgasms as his fingers stroked her. Sliding her free hand through his dark curls, she gave a small sigh as Pine's lips traveled down her neck, running over her breasts and latching on to a pink nipple. Thomas slid his fingers through her lower lips, stroking back and forth gently, teasing her clitoris awake and spreading the sudden flow of moisture over her. Maura could feel her legs spreading of their own accord, and Thomas angled his narrow hips between them, rubbing her with his cock as he'd done with his fingers. "Beautiful..." he said appreciatively, feeling her lips open to him. "You're like a flower, darling, like petals." Pine pulled two long fingers from inside her and put them into his mouth. "And you taste like one, too." His azure eyes lit with a rare, unguarded smile as he watched her blush. 

Her hand tightened in his hair as Thomas leaned in to kiss her again, moving his mouth carefully over hers as he had Maura taste herself on his tongue. It almost felt like they were under water, she thought dreamily, everything slow, limbs sliding over each other smoothly. Everything paused for a moment as she felt Thomas move over her again, looking into her eyes. A little confused frown crinkled her brow as they looked at each other, until she realized that Pine- in his way -was asking permission. With the feeling of diving deep into an unknown sea, Maura raised one leg and wrapped it around his back, raising her hips a little in invitation. Both were silent as he slipped inside her, gently stroking in and out, pushing a little deeper each time. The heat and hardness from Thomas resonated through Maura's chest, making it feel like that part of him was penetrating everywhere inside her. Feeling the twitching of her thighs against his narrow waist, Pine worked slowly, never moving too fast, using that smooth scooping and swirling motion his hips employed while dancing that night in Algiers. Another gasping sigh left Maura's pink mouth as she remembered, and she whispered, "we're dancing..."

Thomas paused for a moment, running his lips over her cheekbones, her eyelids and the lightest feather touch over her mouth. "That's what it feels like with you," he agreed, "as if we're dancing inside each other." The moment was so outrageously, absurdly romantic that with a gasp, Maura came. The heat and helpless clenching of her walls against him was too much, and Pine fell over the edge with her. Still twined around each other, sweating and shaking, she couldn't think of a moment in her life that she'd ever been happier.

Getting dressed much later (because the kissing and caressing from the appreciation of round one lead to round two) Thomas looked at her in the mirror as she was buttoning her shirt. "We have to go back to Algiers tomorrow." Maura's fingers slowed. 

"The coup?" She asked, resuming her task.

Thomas nodded. She ran her hands over his broad chest, smoothing the wrinkles from the shirt stretching over it. This conversation was so completely unexpected that Maura didn't know how to respond. Was Thomas actually _discussing_ this with her? 

"What is your plan, Thomas?"

He looked down, absently moving her long hair over one shoulder, fingers caught idly in a curl. "Bender's created a major cock-up. I have to fix his mess and handle this campaign with a minimum of bloodshed."

Maura was still struggling with her floating sense of unreality, listening to her lover speak to her as a confidante. Even when Thomas had relied on her hacking skills at the Corporation, it was always a matter of giving the minimum amount of information possible. "May I ask you something?"

Pine shrugged, still playing with her inky curls. "Of course."

"Mr. Saunoun told me about your activity in his region," the girl paused, trying to think of how to ask. "Do you believe that the man you're placing in power is better than the one there now? Not just for your clients, but for the country?"

Looking at her closely, Thomas felt the same level of disbelief from their conversation. The strain of speaking openly with Maura wasn't as great as he'd expected, and there was a sudden rush of relief that shocked him. Her seaglass green eyes were looking into his, listening with that complete and utter attention he'd never seen in anyone before her. A devilish smile spread across his lips. "Oh, yes. Yes, indeed."

The two separated at the blast site, Thomas kissing a blushing Maura in front of his crew. O'Connell laughed boisterously, jeering at her flushed cheeks. "TEENAGER," he chuckled, pulling at her ponytail. They spent the rest of the morning finishing the openings to the two dig sites to pull the REE samples. O'Connell was uncharacteristically patient, showing her the difference in results from plastique vs. dynamite, how nitroglycerin could be altered to change the direction of the blast, the myriad detonation sequences and how to wire them. "IT'S A PITY YOU'VE GOT THAT BIG GODDAMN BRAIN OF YOURS, IRISH," he lamented, "YOU'D MAKE A BRILLIANT EXPLOSIVES EXPERT. BUT THIS LINE OF WORK IS GUARANTEED TO JAR THOSE BRAIN CELLS CLEAR OUT OF YOUR HEAD."

Maura started laughing, "don't worry, you exist as a walking, talking cautionary tale."

"MEAN SPIRITED MONKEY! GO FIND THOMAS BEFORE I TIE A STICK OF DYNAMITE ON YOU." O'Connell chuckled as he sent her on her way. It was clear Maura and his oldest friend had reached some sort of accord, he just hoped Thomas wouldn't fuck it up.

Maura finally found Thomas in the electronics tent, where Nicholas was still struggling to use the satellite uplink to get some work done. He printed off something and handed it to his boss, briefly looking at Maura before ducking his head. Walking back to their tent, Thomas handed Maura a folder. "What is it?" she asked, opening it. Stopping abruptly, she pulled out six large photos, date-stamped over the last three days they'd been in the desert. Maura looked up at Thomas. "Why are-" she sighed. Were they back to square one? "You know I won't run, why-?"

It hadn't occurred to Pine that she would think he still meant the pictures as a threat? "That's not how these are intended," he said slowly. "I thought you would...like to have them."

Looking down at them and then back up to him, Maura smiled uncertainty, "that's so...that's so kind. Thank you, Thomas. Truly." Two were of the twins visiting Meghan at the care center, one showing Carin playfully squeezing into the wheelchair with her and making Meghan smile. Another showed Abigail walking home with a boy, an awkward space between the two. "Noooo!" Maura moaned, "no boys! She's too young!"

Pine laughed, taking her arm and starting the walk again. "She's sixteen, darling. Didn't you like boys by then?"

"I didn't have time," Maura answered distractedly, "oh! Meghan is smiling _again_? That's two pictures!

His tone was gentle as they entered the tent. "Did she never smile before?"

"We- the doctors thought her brain damage was too great to respond to outside stimulus," she admitted.

Thomas leaned over and kissed her hand not holding the precious photos. "Then she's proved that she's capable of progress, correct?"

Maura looked up to him, eyes shining with unshed tears. "Thank you, Thomas."

He looked somber for a moment. "It's been equally rare to find a smile on your face, I'm pleased to see it now."

Never in her life, even before the domineering ways of Thomas Pine, was Maura aggressive when it came to sex. But looking into the man's cobalt eyes, she put the photos on a bench and literally climbed Thomas like a tree, wrapping one leg and then the other around him to inch higher. The deeply pleased laugh from the man she was scaling told Maura it was a good idea. Falling back on to the bed, Pine easily flipped up her skirt and began placing kisses along her delicate undies, pulling at them until he finally lost patience and ripped them free from her hips. Ignoring Maura's startled yelp, Thomas put his strong hands on her waist and easily hoisted her over his face, the girl's center hovering over his sinfully grinning mouth. "Watch now, darling," Thomas purred, putting his mouth over her pussy in an open mouthed kiss, sucking one lip, biting the other. When his lips closed over her tender clitoris and pulled, Maura let out a shriek and jolted sideways off the bed, her legs flying over her in an ignominious heap. 

Laughing in the most wicked fashion, Pine rolled off the bed and pounced on her, pulling off the rest of Maura's clothes. "You don't get away from me that easily, little girl..." He threatened, licking a line up her fluttering pulse in her neck.

"Growled like the true scoundrel you are," Maura challenged with a grin. The man above her merely raised an eyebrow, then neatly rolled her over to straddle his narrow waist.

"Scoundrel?" He hummed devilishly. "Well, I did intend to be a gentleman, but as you wish..." Thomas easily lifted Maura by her hips and over his painfully erect cock, letting her slide down it at her own pace. Feeling the burning stretch of his thickness made Maura moan shamelessly, moving faster than was comfortable in her hurry to have him inside her. A sudden bounce from below made her eyes fly open, Maura looked down at Pine's carnal grin. "Look at me, darling. I want to watch you use me." She paused in her downward slide on his cock to stare at him. Thomas stroked his hands up and down her waist and hips, running his restless fingers on where they were joined. "Go on," he urged. "Take your orgasm from me. I want to watch you come undone at your pace."

Maura didn't know what to think- Thomas had always claimed her orgasms as his, demanded them from her as his property. But feeling his big, warm palms smooth up and down her sides, she bit her lower lip and started to move again, ignoring the searing part of his thickness within her. "I'm in you. To the hilt." Thomas encouraged, his eyes glinting with a pagan enjoyment. She rolled her hips in a circle, then back and forth, enjoying the feel of him as her channel adjusted to his size. Sliding up and down, Maura gasped as she felt his long fingers move between them, teasingly stroking her.  Experimenting with edging down and pushing her hips forward, she gasped, putting her hand to her lower stomach and feeling the tremor. Thomas chuckled, the sound was pure sin. "Why darling, you didn't forget our lesson so soon, did you?" He put his large hand over hers and pushed in gently, grinning at her gasp. "Can you feel my cock pressing against the front of you, our hands pressing against it from the outside?" His other hand moved her hips back and forth again, feeling her shudder as he pressed harder. "What do we call this, sweetheart?"

Her head was lolling backwards, mouth open as Maura felt the insanely erotic press of within and without against that tender bit of flesh inside her- the one she was certain was always a myth before sex with the man under her. "The uh...um...AH!" Thomas had braced his feet and thrust up sharply, driving his shaft deeper into her. Her back arched from the movement, and that only pressed his cock harder against the front of her walls. 

"What is it?" He prompted in a filthy, silky tone. 

"The..." Maura moaned pitifully, "it's the thing that..."

Thomas thrust up again, still keeping his hand pressed against her pelvis. "Now darling, don't you remember at the hotel? When I showed you with my fingers and my cock where your sweet place  was? How you came in a flood, all over my hand, your thighs, the chair?"

She tried to hide her flaming face in her hands, and he thrust up again, knocking Maura off balance and forcing her to use her hands to steady herself. "You were exquisite..." Thomas whispered into her ear. He was Satan, she thought blindly. The Devil. He laughed, shoving up again, palm firm against her stomach, fingers tightening just under her belly button where Maura could feel the top of his cock pressing insistently. "You soaked the cuff of my shirt. I kept sniffing it during that indescribably boring meeting- my dick was hard all afternoon."

"Thomas..." She moaned, trying to concentrate, "I'm going to-um, I'm ready-" He started laughing, bouncing Maura up and down on his dick. She put her hand over his this time, arching her back again and moaning. The vibrations from his laughter, the strain of the tendons in his legs against hers- the intense, almost painful pressure of their combined hands against the thin skin of her stomach was too much. "It's the G spot!" She shrieked, "I- I just remembered!" 

Thomas couldn't understand why he was laughing even harder while he came with the same intensity. He dug his heels into the rugs on the floor, shoving his cock as deep as he could inside Maura's wildly clenching pussy to keep her from pushing him out. The feeling of the girl flailing above him with utter bliss and praising him at the top of her lungs and laughing too was more than he could handle. They collapsed together, covered in their combined arousal and a sense of ridiculousness alien to them both. And nothing, thought Thomas, had ever felt better in his life. "Oh, Maura," he groaned, "my Maura-girl..." Kissing her deeply, Thomas curled around her, almost asleep when he heard her whisper, " I love you, you stubborn, stupid, terrible man..."

 

"MR SAUNOUN!"

"Good afternoon, Mr. O'Connell."

"HAVE YOU SEEN PINE? I'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE, WE HAVE BLAST REPORTS TO LOOK OVER."

"I believe he and Miss MacLaren are taking a nap, sir."

"A NAP? NONSENSE. THOMAS DOESN'T 'NAP.' I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING."

"You're welcome to check their tent, sir."

"EH...I'LL JUST LOOK OVER THOSE REPORTS MYSELF."

 

The next 24 hours was a blur--Thomas was mapping strategy for their return to Algiers while trying to pull together the mining report and fielding phone calls from an increasingly agitated Kingston. Swallowing her resentment of Hoult, Maura offered to help him transfer funds and monitor security chatter about the fake kidnapping of the Algerian First Lady. She'd been furious when Thomas told her of the woman's fate, and the girl spent many moments pondering how to best beat the the living hell out of Bender. Stretching her arms for a moment, Maura had to admit that it felt good to be back on a keyboard. "Have you checked the Interpol line for any comment on the kidnapping?" Hoult still couldn't look at her, hunched over his monitor and typing furiously. 

"Yes, nothing there. So far the only major traffic on the story is coming out of South Africa," she answered, rubbing the back of her neck. "Do you need help on those reports for France and the Saudis?"

"Almost there," Nicholas mumbled, "but there's a problem with General Nezzar-he keeps demanding more money, he's already drawn an extra 34 million pounds."

"Again?" Maura frowned, "what could he possibly be using it for? Everything's been supplied by the Corporation. He's got to be stockpiling it."

"Who are we talking about?" Thomas walked into the tent, still going over some air survelliance photos. 

Nicholas and Maura looked at each other cautiously, an ironic echo of their time working together back in London. "General Nezzar, Mr. Pine. He's just requested more money, and that's after the 34 million draw from last week." 

Pine's eyes turned frosty. "Block him from the draw account. Don't answer any queries from Kingston or Bender. I'll handle it." His decision put Thomas on the satellite phone with a screaming First in Command for most of the evening. Maura brought him a plate of food and a glass of Jameson, which he gratefully downed first. Smiling just a bit, she made him another, placing it in front of him before leaving again. She had to admit it, hearing him be so cold and collected with Kingston when she could hear the him bellowing down the phone line was arousing. Staying in the tent with Thomas was too much temptation.

Lying together in bed that night, they looked out the tent opening to the full moon holding vigil over the Sahara. Thomas was still halfway sprawled over Maura, long fingers idly teasing between her thighs. "No more," she groaned, "you're being mean, now..."

He chuckled, rolling off her and nuzzling into her hair. "Oh, Maura-girl, poor love."

Running her fingers over the hills and valleys of his ribcage, she sighed. "Do you feel ready for tomorrow?"

Thomas tucked an arm behind his head, idly playing with her curls as he watched the moon. "There is always a plan, darling."

"Knowing the diabolical Mr Pine," Maura stretched, "there is a plan within a plan within a plan."

"I really should leave you here," he said suddenly, a frown crossing over his expression. "You'd be safe with Saunoun."

She shook her head, "I'll be safest with you. And you need my help. You can't trust the rest of the Murder Tri-" Maura stopped abruptly. 

Lifting his head, Thomas looked down at her. "What did you say?"

"Nothing." Her voice was squeaky.

Thomas rolled over on top of Maura again, sliding those calloused fingers down her sensitive sides. "What did you call us?"

"Nothing! Really, let's talk about-"

"Oh, no darling." It was like a shark sensing blood in the water, Maura thought sourly as he started tickling her. "Do tell me. The Murder what?"

"Nothing!" By now, the poor girl was writhing around on the bed, getting tangled helplessly in the sheets as he continued to torment her. Seamlessly, Thomas switched to small, sharp bites on Maura's inner thighs. "Nothing!" she squealed, trying to escape his vicious mouth.

"Tell me," Pine warned, "or this is the next thing between my teeth." Maura looked down to see his even, white smile right next to her still-sensitive clitoris.

"Ahhhh! Don't, Thomas!" Watching as his teeth opened threateningly, she caved. "The Murder Triplets! I used to call you the Murder Triplets!"

For a moment, Maura thought she'd truly offended him, then Pine gave a low, evil chuckle. "Really..." The one word, drawn out in his low, cultured tone sounded infinitely threatening. Then, Thomas ran his tongue in a long, luxuious lick between her lips. "Just for that, you'll come for me again. And immediately. Come, darling, it belongs to me. I _own_ it." Head falling back as his wicked tongue slid against her clit, Maura moaned and obeyed him.

 

 


	25. Plans Within Plans Within Plans...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura is disillusioned.
> 
> Warning: violence, guns, blood and minor character death. Sorry, it's hard to overthrow a third world government without it. You have been warned. No bad dreams for you!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates might be a little random, I've had to write a couple of chapters ahead to figure out some plot issues, then write backwards, I think I'm getting it straightened out.

Maura didn't realize she was clenching and unclenching her hands on her soft linen pants until Thomas's broad hand covered hers, squeezing gently. She looked up and smiled, staring into his eyes. She didn't recognize the mood associated with the color today--Pine's gaze was a clear, sharp blue-grey. they rapidly checked back into the hotel they'd used before, and set up a computer station. Nicholas and Maura were glued to their monitors for the next several hours, altering bank transactions, sending out anonymous press reports and messaging operatives into place. Her green eyes closed gratefully as Maura felt Thomas's warm hand on her neck, rubbing gently. "Is everything in order, Maura-girl?" Briefly rubbing her cheek against his hand, the girl nodded. 

"The sequence is perfectly timed. Everyone's in place on your end?"

Thomas nodded, "just as planned."

She frowned up at him. "And the other two? Bender and Kingston? Not a word?"

He shook his head, still absently rubbing her neck. " As far as they know, everything's going according to plan. They won't know any differently until it's too late." Thomas's hand moved to her chin, lifting it gently. "Are _you_ ready?"

Maura smiled for him. "Always, for you."

News sites around the African continent were already buzzing with the stories of the greed of the Algerian president- the discovery of secret bank vaults filled with cash and gold. The military was mobilizing, with strong statements from General In Chief Nazzar condemning the perfidy of the president, with many vows for "justice for the people!" As Thomas, Maura and their security detail drove through the streets, the unrest was already resonating with the locals. Watching from the car, Maura could see the aggression and unfocused anxiety: fights breaking out, vandalism, fires being set. Wincing as she watched two groups come to blows, she prayed silently they could finish the coup as quickly as possible. The Mercedes stopped a block from the Presidential palace, and the group made their way through the streets. Ending at a heavily fenced and guarded gate, Thomas allowed the light from the guard post to play over his face. 

"Ah, Mr. Pine," said a guard. "Come with me."

'Of course,' thought Maura, 'of course there would be a secret entrance to the Presidential palace, though I suspect it was built for escape rather than invasion.'

She was correct, as they entered a huge and elaborate office via a closed panel. President Bouteflika stared at them in utter shock. "Nazzar-what is this? Who are these people? Deal with them!"

It was clear General Nazzar had pictured this moment for a long time. Taking out his gun, he grinned happily at Bouteflika as the presidential security detail stood aside. "No, you _halluf_. I shall instead deal with _you_." Nazzar took a quick and efficient shot, finishing the man with a bullet to the head. Straightening his military dress jacket, he turned to Thomas. "Where are the tv cameras to announce my new position as President?"

Thomas strolled forward, looking at Nazzar calmly. "The tv crew will be here shortly. Allow me to take the weapon to be destroyed. There must be no connection to you, President Nazzar."

"Of course," the general puffed proudly, handing out the Glock he'd used on the fallen Bouteflika.

"Thank you," Pine said smoothly, nodding to the presidential security detail, who instantly pulled their guns on Nazzar and his military guards.

"What IS this! Where is Kingston!" Shouted the general, too stupid to be concerned yet.

The next group out of the secret panel included Mr. Maaziz, whose gentle face smiled at Maura as he entered. "Ah, Miss MacLaren. I am happy to see you well."

Maura smiled and nodded back. "And to you, Mr. Maaziz." Her smile disappeared as the men loyal to Thomas quickly and efficiently shot the General's security detail. Nazzar was held, screaming in rage by three men. Thomas picked up Nazzar's Glock and check the casing. Turning to Maaziz, he flipped the gun expertly and offered it to the older man by the handle.

Thomas spoke gently, but his tone was absolute. "You must be the one to take this shot if this is to be your country, Mr. Maaziz."

The older man took off his spectacles, carefully cleaning them with a handkerchief before replacing then on his nose. Looking at the bodies sprawled through the room, he shook his head. "If it must be," he sighed, holding out a steady hand for the gun.

Maura looked back and forth, over and over as if at a tennis match, trying to reconcile the calm with the violence. Thomas had not discussed this part of the plan with her. The blood and the stench of the bodies around them was horrifying, and she gritted her teeth to stay focused. Pine had not even broken a sweat, his white oxford shirt pristine as he handed the weapon to Maaziz. The older man held the Glock for a moment, looking at it curiously, as if trying to remember how it ended up in his hand. The shouts and screams of General Nazzar finally roused him, and he looked to the screaming general. "Remember who you serve, Maaziz!" the man screamed, "I am your _leader!"_

"No," Mr Maaziz said gently, regretfully, "you are a fool. A bloodthirsty, brutal fool." He raised the gun and the pitch of Nazzar's screams heightened before being suddenly cut short. A perfect bullet hole appeared on the General's forehead, and Maura looked at Maaziz in shock. Calmly handing the gun to Thomas, he straightened his tie and prepared for his first address to the nation as the shaken camera crew set up the shot and the security men removed the bodies. With a sick sense of nostalgia, Maura realized they'd been shot on plastic coverings, the cleanup crew simply rolling up the bodies in the tarps like a series of macabre burritos. Turning woodenly back to Maaziz--President Maaziz--her mind corrected, Maura watched as a wardrobe assistant put him into a fresh white shirt and navy blue blazer. He looked up and smiled at her- the same kindly smile he'd given Maura at all those dinners over discussions about country, patriotism and honor. She nodded and forced a smile, walking over to carefully remove his glasses. 

"There's some blood- there's a few spots, Mr. President. Allow me."

Carefully cleaning his spectacles, Maura replaced them, and Maaziz took her hand. "Are you all right, Miss MacLaren?"

She forced another smile, still looking at the gruesome procession of bodies from the presidential office. "Of course, sir. Thank you."

Standing on the cooling blood of the men he'd supplanted, President Maaziz gave a speech to his country, promising swift change for corruption and the promise of an honest and devoted leadership. Maura's brow furrowed as he spoke warmly of "welcoming new trade partners and an era of international cooperation for Algeria," but said nothing. Thomas took her arm. "It's time to leave," he murmured, "there's more to do tonight." She nodded, but halted as she heard Thomas speak quietly to Maaziz behind her.

"When will I see the ten million pounds in my personal account?" With a shock, she realized it was Maaziz speaking.

"When the trade agreements are signed with France and Saudi Arabia," assured Pine.

"Very well," said Maaziz. "Go with God, Mr. Pine"

Heading back down the secret staircase, Maura leaned into Thomas. "What was the conversation involving the ten million pounds in Maaziz's personal account?"

Level blue-grey eyes looked back. "A gift."

"But...you're paying him all that money? As a nudge for the bidders?" Maura felt flattened.

Thomas smiled and shook his head. "Darling- look. This isn't the time. Try not to question right now." They passed by several workers, still removing bodies from the coup. Maura kept counting in her head as the numbers rose. The streets were still crowded with confused and angry people, but the damage and fires seemed to be reducing. Apparently, the message from the new president was taking effect. Most of the ground forces keeping the peace were military, so Nazzar's influence was not as strong as he'd gambled on. Thinking back to his body crumpled on the carpet next to the man he'd murdered, Maura felt dizzy. So much death in such a very short time. Turning on the tv back in the suite, she paced back and forth, watching the death toll rise. 

"The entire upper military cabinet's gone-" Maura said, still pacing. "They couldn't just imprison them as a threat?" Finally, she tried to throw herself back into her work, resolving to ignore the tv reports. With a mean little smile, Maura plunged into the complex series of coding she and Hoult created that day when the bidding for the country of Algeria began back at the Corporation. Fingers flying, she rapidly altered the account balances, splintering the funds and finding new offshore holdings to hide the money. Thomas was busy, speaking into two different cell phones while watching the coverage on tv and online. Opening a lucite case containing two platinum thumbdrives, she inserted one into her hard drive port and one into Hoult's. Starting the download, she rolled her head over tense shoulders, watching the tv again. Pine walked out of the bedroom, hanging up one of the phones. Kneeling next to her chair, Thomas took Maura's hands.

"Are you all right?"

She shrugged, forcing a smile. "Of course. I _have_ seen this before, Thomas."

His direct gaze held her elusive green eyes. "You're upset about Maaziz. He's fallen off his pedestal?" 

Maura sighed. "I thought...I believed him when he spoke of being the voice of reason."

"And he is." Pine kissed one hand, then the other. "The two are not mutually exclusive."

Her hands tightened on his. "How much has the Corporation given him?"

Thomas shrugged, rising to his feet. "Most comes from the bidding countries, but his personal share will be over one hundred million pounds." Maura sighed and shook her head. "By the way, darling," Pine was putting on a shoulder holster. "Did you retrieve the thirty-four million from of Nazzar's account?

The girl swung back to her monitor, adding in some numbers on a new screen. "Nazzar already pulled nearly three million- it's gone into a series of smaller transactions, so I'm guessing bribe money, loyalty payments? But the rest is back in central holding." Looking up at him, Maura felt a chill. "Where are you going?" Standing up, she moved to Thomas. "Where are _we_ going?"

Pine put one large hand on her cheek, " _I'm_ going to meet with Kingston and Bender." He leaned in to kiss her, "I can't have you near them, I won't take that chance with Michael. I've got a security detail here for you, no one knows we're back here yet."

Maura angrily shook her head. "No. No! We're safer together, remember? Who's coming with you? You know they're going to be insanely angry from the General Nazzar debacle."

"I know who I'm dealing with, darling. I have plenty of backup. But I can't concentrate on the task at hand if you're there." Thomas tilted her head up, searching her face. "What else?" Her eyes dropped from his. "Tell me."

"Was it necessary? All the deaths? If you're throwing around money like this, couldn't some of those people have survived with a bribe or imprisoned?" Maura asked, her memory of the blood-soaked presidential carpet making her sound harsher than she meant.

Her tone triggered his, and Thomas raised one haughty brow. "You're questioning my decisions?"

"Surely not every one of those, what- 215 people had to die? Some of those were machete attacks, Thomas!"

He stepped away to pull on the jacket to his suit. "Ah, darling. I'm back to being the monster again? Do you think General Nezzar would be more sparing, more merciful?"

Maura irritably shook her head, "that's the point! We're supposed to be better than Nazzar!"

She watched with dismay as the polar chill lightened his blue gaze.  Thomas said, "I'm a bloody criminal, do you recall?" He stepped closer, looming over her. "And now, so are you."

Sighing, Maura ran a distracted hand through her curls. "Thomas-"

"I'll be back," he interrupted her, "stay inside with security."

As the door shut, all she could think was, 'what if I never see him again?'

 

The hours dragged on, Maura watched the news reports until she couldn't stand it any more. The downloads on her platinum flash drives signalled completion, and she pulled the drives. Looking around the room, she thought back to an operative lesson about hiding contraband. "No on under bed, hidden in trash cans, under the carpet..." she looked around, thinking out loud. Her eyes falling on the dressing area, she pulled one of the light switch boxes, unscrewing the plate with her fingernail. Sliding the thumbdrives inside, she was careful not to touch the wires. Maura replaced the plate and pushed the screw back in. Biting her lip, she checked her iPhone for the 15th time in the last hour. She didn't dare text or call him, in case it alerted someone else. Finally swallowing her pride, she walked into the living room, where the four thugs were watching an episode of "Big Brother" dubbed in Arabic. "Have any of you..." They looked up at her blankly. "Have any of you heard from Mr. Pine yet?"

"That would be 'need to know', _Miss_." Snarked one.

Thug #2 looked at him, irritated, then back to Maura. "Nothing yet on our side."

"Thank you," she nodded politely, heading back into the bedroom to pace again.

It was less than thirty minutes later when she heard the thunderous pounding on the suite door. Racing into the living room, she found O'Connell and Hoult, red-faced and obviously shaken. "Where's Thomas?" she cried.

O'Connell growled, "THEY TOOK HIM. FUCKING KINGSTON SIDED WITH THAT LOONEY BASTARD BENDER."

Maura gasped. "Where? Where did they take him?"

He shook his head furiously, "DON'T KNOW. HE JUST GOT A CALL IN TO ME BEFORE THEY TOOK HIM. THEY SHOT HIS SECURITY MEN."

"Damnit!" She moaned, "we have to find him- we have to-he doesn't have anything to help him!"

Hoult was updating Maura's men and telling them to get ready to move out as O'Connell took Maura's arm and led her into the bedroom. "NOT COMPLETELY- ah, not completely helpless, lass. I've packed both heels on his shoes with C2. He's walking on enough plastique to take out a building. Now, our job WAS TO GET YOU- ah, get you out of here in case this happened. We need to go, lass. NOW."

Maura nodded, yanking on her sandals and looking at the light switch. Would the precious thumb drives be safer there for the time being or with her? Shaking her head, Maura rapidly dismantled the coding and financial grids on her laptop. "Hoult!" She called over her shoulder, "hurry, get your platform shut down so we can-"

The voice behind her was horridly, greasily aroused. "Too late, baby. Too late for that." Maura and O'Connell both drew their guns at the same time, but it was too late. "Drop them, or I shoot you both." Third in Command blocked the doorway to the living room, holding a huge gun with a silencer. Two men stepped in from the terrace, training their weapons on O'Connell's back.

Maura's eyes met O'Connell's, then nodded and set her gun down. The huge Irishman sighed and did the same. "Good, good!"  Bender said happily. Pointing his gun at the furious ginger, Michael asked sharply, "Did you fuck MacLaren, too?"

"WHA-? YA DAFT PRICK!" Roared O'Connell, "YA BLOODY-" He was brutally cut off as Third in Command sighed irritably and fired two slugs into O'Connell's chest. 

"NO!" Howled Maura, trying to break free from the men holding her. "You bastard! You murderous fuck!"

Michael chuckled fondly. "Ah, darling, I can still remember the first time you called me that. You know, when I slit your little undercover buddy's throat?" Maura was still struggling against the men, trying to kick Bender, hurt him somehow. "Now, now, kitten," he admonished, let's not lose our temper. We've got to get going, we have people to meet! If you're lucky, there'll be enough left of Pine to watch me fuck you before he bleeds out."

It took three of the men to finally drag the furious spitting, kicking harpy back on to the bed. She looked up to see Hoult huddled in the doorway. "Motherfucker," she hissed, "I swear to God I will gut your treacherous, lying, useless hide!" He flushed and slunk back into the living room.

"Silly little kitten," crooned Michael, that manic grin back on his face, "don't you know I'll always be two steps ahead?"

 

halluf: Algerian Arabic for "pig" or "disgusting person"

 

 

 


	26. The Irish Witch & The Dark King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Michael learns about Harry Potter, Maura learns about doing the hard thing, and Thomas is unflappable. Smooth bastard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I agreed with Hurricaneerin today that the best fan fic is smut loosely held together by plot. You're all very nice about the storyline, but I'm beginning to feel apologetic for posting a couple of chapters without smutty Tom goodness.
> 
>  
> 
> Trigger alert for: threats of sexual violence, physical violence.

Michael leaned over Maura's open suitcase and pulled out a lacy pair of undies. Putting the fabric to his nose for an appreciative sniff, he chuckled as he watched her lip curl in disgust. Waving with his gun hand, he ordered one of the men, "bring all the bitch's shit. We're going to have a fashion show, my golden snatch."

The thug closing her suitcase suddenly chuckled. He paled when Third in Command's glare turned on him. "What's so fucking funny, pray?" Bender snarled.

"Uh, Harry Potter, sir. It was brilliant- the Golden Snatch?" Michael stared at him cluelessly. "Y'know, Quidditch? The Golden Snitch? The Golden Snatch? Brilliant, Mr Bender."

Head tilted as he stared at the thug blankly, Michael suddenly burst into laughter. "That _is_ pretty fucking funny." Walking back over to Maura, Bender took the panties he was still holding and shoved them in her mouth, pushing her jaw closed. "Now, darling, we're walking out the front door and you're going to keep that pretty pink mouth shut and behave like a lady. If I see even a peek of those panties, I'm shooting fucking Pine in both knees. Am I clear?"

Maura hissed around her gag, making him chuckle indulgently. Looking over her shoulder at O'Connell's still form as they yanked her from the suite, she thought desperately 'please, you stubborn Irishman! Don't be dead- someone will find you soon- don't you dare die!'

Maura was marched out of the hotel and directly on to a small boat tethered in the resort's dock. To her disgust, Bender insisted on putting Maura on his lap for the boat ride out to the yacht. Zip-tying her hands together, he squeezed her breasts gloatingly, laughing at her sneer. The yacht was gigantic- the largest in the bay, covered in gilt and gold leaf. Third in Command hustled Maura down the hallway, passing a huge stateroom where several Saudis were taking tea. "Be with you in a moment, gentlemen." He reached over to painfully squeeze a breast. "Just getting my little troublemaker below deck." Maura narrowed her eyes, the men staring back at her with indifference or lust.

One of the thugs opened a cabin door and Bender yanked the girl inside, followed by Hoult. Throwing Maura on to the bed, Michael reached out his hand to Nicholas, who handed him a brown leather kit. "You've made quite a mess, you fucking bitch, so I've got some fires to put out with our investors, that's certain. Why don't you just relax, kitten? You're going to need your energy." He reverently opened Thomas's medical kit. "I've always wanted my own living, breathing flesh doll..."

Seeing the glint of the hypo, Maura twisted violently, breaking the needle off in her hip. "No no no nononoo..." Her voice faded, her protests with it as she fell down the rabbit hole again.

"Fuck!" Bender hissed irritably, yanking the broken piece of needle from her, wiping at the trickle of blood with the sheet. He looked at the syringe, about half the dose was still there. "How long did a full dose of Pine's Pussy Juice keep this bitch under?"

Hoult licked his lips nervously. "It was timed for about 12 hours of unconsciousness and another 2-3 hours of immobility."

"Immobile," mused Third in Command, a loathsome grin spreading across his face. "She can't move. But she can feel everything, right? Sight, hearing, taste all intact?" 

Nicholas tried not to shudder. "Yes, Sir."

"Excellent," Bender crooned. Hoult noticed queasily that his boss was hugely hard. "Hmmm. I got the sheets all bloody. Not to worry-" he leaned down and ran a long sloppy lick up the side of Maura's face. "-the sheets are going to be soaking in your blood before I'm finished with you, my golden snatch."

Good humor restored, he chuckled and walked from the cabin. Looking down, he saw Hoult crouching in the hallway with his head in his hands. "Fucking pussy!" Michael said contemptuously, "watch the bitch. No one goes in without my order. Got it? GOT IT?" He snapped, kicking Nicholas hard in the ribs when he didn't respond quickly enough.

"-y -yes, Mr Bender," he groaned painfully. "Understood."

"Excellent." Michael straightened his tie. "You might be worth keeping alive after all." Cheerfully whistling "Hail, Brittania," he walked up the stairs and disappeared on to the deck.

 

Walking through their old Belfast apartment, Maura looked around in confusion. This wasn't one of her nightmares she recognized; the place was quiet, she was alone.

"I must confess, girl. I've been picturing a bit more menace. More fire."

Maura spun around, her heart in her throat. Squatting on the floor like a pile of black rags was a woman. Tsk'ing, her visitor rose to her feet, a good seven feet tall with hair, lips and eyes black as pitch. "Queen Morrighann?" She gasped reverently. Her Gran told her so many stories about the Irish Witch she'd been named for that she knew the Black Queen as surely she knew herself.

"Indeed." The Witch circled her. "I must confess to some disappointment, my namesake. Are ye always so meek? Just layin' here as they torture your King?"

"That bastard Bender- he drugged me! I have to wake up- find Thomas!" Maura protested.

"An' yet, here ye are..." Morrighann dragged a blackened talon along Maura's cheek. "Ye' fear to do the dark thing, the hard thing, lass? Perhaps ye not one o' mine, then."

"I've killed my Da, and let my Ma do herself in, my Queen. I've done the hard thing!" Maura protested. "I've killed men to save my partner-"

An imperious wave shut her up. "Not easy choices, lass, but clear ones. I saw ye cower today when your King made the choice as ye stood back."

Maura buried her fingers in her own hair, digging her nails into her scalp in frustration. "How much blood has to be shed! Must we _drown_ in it?"

The breath of her Dark Queen was tainted with blood and sulfur as it brushed across Maura's cheek. "I dinna demand a mountain of bodies to hold my throne, namesake. But enough to get the job done." The talon painfully cut under Maura's chin, forcing her to stare into the midnight blankness of Morrighan's gaze. "Ye hesitate, and your King is dead. And ye sit alone in ye tower of lies and excuses. There is no moral high ground to cling to, daor m'inion. Make your choice and hold it. Dhéanamh chaithfear a dhéanamh."

"How?" begged Maura desperately, "how do I save him?"

She was rising from the rabbit hole, the Dark Queen fading away. Morrighann's final advice: "dúisigh..."

 

Maura blinked irritably as she felt Hoult's smooth hands trying to slap her awake. "Wake up...wake up...Wake UP, MacLaren! I can't do this alone! You have to wake up!"

"Doan'...don't hit me, arsehole," she groaned. "I'm awake. Where are we?"

Her eyes painfully opened to see the relieved blues of Nicholas above her. "Oh, thank god. I've been trying to rouse you for the better part of an hour."

"What time is it?" Her nails clenched into her palms, the pain trying to jolt her into awareness.

"It's been two hours-"

"Oh, GOD!" Maura gasped, "Thomas could be dead by now!"

"NO! No!" He tried to soothe her, "he's not. Bender's obsessed with raping you in front of Mr Pine, so-"

Biting her lips viciously against the sudden bout of nausea, Maura nodded. "All right. Why did you betray us? Why, you fucker!"

"I'm- I'm not a traitor!" he gasped, holding his hands in front of him appeasingly. "Mr. Pine told me your safety was the first priority, no matter what. When I saw Bender and his men, I knew- I knew I couldn't get you out in time, so I played along-"

"Played along?" she hissed incredulously. "O'Connell is DEAD, you bastard!"

Nicholas shook his head. "I don't know what to DO, MacLaren. I don't, but I have to get you out of here somehow. Do you think you can walk?"

She gritted her teeth. "Is there anything here- any drugs to reverse the roofie? An upper or something?"

Hoult shook his head. "There's nothing here but your things Bender brought from the hotel."

Maura's eyes popped. "Find my makeup bag! Please God, let it be there..."

"This thing?" Nicholas held the bag aloft, and she swallowed hard. 

"That's it. Can you get me a glass of water too, please? How much time do you think we have?"

Hoult groaned miserably. "I- I don't know. Bender was very entranced with the idea of your...uh...immobility."

It took a minute to force herself not to vomit, but Maura did it. "There's bags of coffee in the makeup case. Can you open them for me?"

They were silent for a while, she forcing the bitter grounds down her throat and he trying to rub circulation back into her legs and arms. Nicholas offered to make proper coffee for her, but Maura ruled it out. "We can't chance that bastard smelling it and getting suspicious."

"Well, okay," Hoult said doubtfully, "but I think you just ate the equivalent of 47 cups of coffee." Finally forcing herself out of bed, the girl walked up and down the cabin, trying not to fall. "Can you get me some more water, please?"

Holding the glass for her, Hoult looked like he'd been in turmoil for weeks. "I'm so-"

"Don't say it, Nicholas." Maura resolutely shook her head. "You thought I betrayed you, too. Do we have any allies besides...besides O'Connell? What about Thomas's private security detail?"

He shook his head bleakly. "I think they're all dead. Pine was alone when they brought him on board." 

Painfully starting her Akido warm-ups, Maura tried to think. "Can we get word to Mr.- to President Maaziz? The man certainly owes us after giving him the country on a silver platter."

"I'll try," nodded Nicholas. 

"What about Mr. Saunoun and the men at the mining camp? They're certainly loyal."

"Maura," it looked like Hoult was trying desperately not to cry. "That's a good 24 hour turnaround. We will all be dead within twelve. If we're lucky."

She nodded resolutely, "then it will have to be us. Please put in an anonymous call to the hotel and say you've found an injured man in our suite. Maybe O'Connell is still alive. Can you find me any weapons? Even a knife from the kitchen?" Maura looked down at herself. "Why am I in this lingerie?"

They both froze as Bender's voice came bellowing down the hallway. Maura dove for the bed, trying to find the same position she'd slept in. Nicholas threw himself into a chair and tried to look sleepy, rather than terrified.

'Not enough _time!_ '' was all the girl could think as the door opened.

 

"I can't tell you how you've disappointed me, my boy." Kingston was pacing majestically around the beaten and gouged Second in Command.

Spitting out some blood, Thomas gave a rusty chuckle. "You really can't top my father's tone of stern disgust, Kingston. Truly, don't try."

"You'd give up an empire we've spent 15 years building--a multi-billion dollar global corporation for some _whore_? It's like I've no idea who you are."

"While we're discussing irrational decisions, you'd go with the lunatic who nearly torched the operation over me? At least I'm sane, Ben."

"Sane?" Kingston threw over a table, glasses falling and shattering on the floor. "You killed our selection and put in your own choice as president of the bloody fucking country, Thomas! Not a sane decision!"

"Nezzar would have led Algeria through another bloody civil war and you _know_ it, Kingston! He was unstable and stupid."

"Who. Fucking. CARES, Pine?" Kingston was screaming now, throwing everything he could find in random directions. "As long as our clients were happy, who fucking care how many stupid peasants fall?"

Watching him with a bored expression, Thomas let out a sigh. "Really? A tantrum? I thought we'd agreed Bender was the lunatic in this scenario."

"At least Third in Command remembers who the bloody hell he works for!" Ben hissed, "I thought of you as a _son!_ "

Even realizing at the moment it was ill-advised, Thomas threw back his head and laughed. "My relationship with my _real_ father turned out badly. But you have _no idea_ how much worse your fantasy father/son scenario can end." His laugh was cut short as Kingston hit him across the face and stormed from the room. Meditatively spitting out more blood, he forced himself to walk through the plan again, checking over and over with all the alternatives if needed. The goal was to divert his worried thoughts from Maura, but he was unsuccessful. Thomas trusted O'Connell with his life, and he knew the gigantic Irishman would give his own if needed to protect her. Nicholas could find them a thousand untraceable ways to get them out of Algeria if needed. But maybe it hadn't come to that.

He winced as he remembered Maura's hurt expression as he left. He'd not been warm, but perhaps feeling a bit betrayed by her disapproval made Thomas harsher than he'd needed to be with her. She was still so young, he groaned to himself. Maura might be a government operative- and given her performance at the Corporation- a very good one. But she'd seen so little of real life outside of the absolute blacks and whites of the government script. Really, the girl was so sweetly sheltered from so many things, even with her brutal upbringing. How could the daughter of a drunk and a whore be so utterly shocked by oral sex?

That first night Thomas took her to his bed, he felt ravenous, like she couldn't feed him enough of her. Buried inside that lovely, grasping pussy was unimaginable, how the subtle movements of her hips flexed her muscles inside to ripple against his. The sensation was almost painfully good, and Thomas stayed inside her longer than he should have. By the third time, Maura was half asleep with exhaustion, but still trembling from their last round of orgasms. Whispering filth and praise into her ear, Thomas watched how she gave a little moan of discomfort before biting her lip. Bringing a cool cloth to bed, Pine gently cleaned her, removing the traces of them both. Down at eye level with her most private parts, his brow arched with amusement as Maura's lean thighs tried to come together. Quickly shifting his broad shoulders between them, Pine blocked her efforts to hide herself. "Why so shy, Pet?" he'd purred, running his long fingers over her, opening her lips like flower petals.

"Why are you looking there?" came her plaintive request, "please, could you come up here and-"

"Mmmmm..." Thomas purred again, running his mouth along the thin skin of her inner thigh and enjoying the trickle of goosebumps in his wake. "But why? This part of you is just as beautiful as your lovely face, those exquisite breasts, your glorious eyes...and the taste- God, I could eat you for breakfast." He chuckled against her pussy, the vibrations tingling through her sensitive lips. "In fact, Pet, I just might." He looked up and laughed again, Maura had her hands over her beet red face. Sliding up her like a big cat, Thomas hovered over her face, forcing her hands away. "Now, why are you hiding? Do you want to taste yourself?" Her seagreen eyes were huge, and Maura shook her head nervously. His put his lips over hers anyway, sliding gently back and forth as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. 

"Can you taste that?" Thomas spoke against her lips. "It must be what the hummingbird tastes from the flower." Mildly amused  at his poetic line of thought, Pine grinned and slid his way back down Maura's sleek body. He suckled and kissed the blossom he'd created of her pussy, forcing her to convulse again in pleasure so excruciating that Thomas came himself from watching her, one hand idly stroking his rigid cock as he enjoyed Maura coming apart.

Thomas smiled, absently spitting out more blood out on the yacht's priceless oriental rug. He would be back with his Flower by tomorrow, he just had to follow the plan.

 

Maura forced herself to breathe slowly, her heart galloping from the caffeine was now thrown into overdrive with the appearance of a grinning Third in Command. He was already growing an erection in that expensive suit, simply from seeing Maura's helplessness. "Good evening, my little flesh doll. God, I can hardly wait to play with you. If I break you, I can always get you mended, kitten." He looked over at a visibly nauseated Hoult. "Get the fuck out. Send two men from my detail down to stand outside the door. No one bothers us tonight, right, baby doll?" Nicholas sent Maura a helpless look of apology before walking out, shutting the door behind him.

Rubbing his hands together, Michael grinned at her. "Let's play, kitten," he said as he took off his coat and tie, wrapping the latter around his fist.  
  
  
  
daor m'inion: Irish Gaelic for "my dear daughter"  
  
dhéanamh chaithfear a dhéanamh: "Do what must be done."  
  
dúisigh: "wake up"


	27. I've Been Waiting For This For A Long Time, Baby...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Third in Command goes to his just reward.
> 
> Trigger warnings: implied domestic violence, intense physical violence, mention of horrid fetish interests.

As Maura watched Third in Command stalk over to her, she remembered Thomas's taunt from their fight in their hotel room-it felt like years ago. "Morrighan, darling. You really need to learn self-control." He'd pulled painfully to his knees. "You are much better than I in close combat. But you let your anger rule you."

'Don't let him set you off,' she lectured herself, trying to ignore her heart, currently trying to pound through her chest. 'Do not let him make you angry. Be like Thomas, you can do this.' The thought of Thomas, tied up somewhere on this boat sent a pain through her, but Maura made herself focus.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time, baby." Michael smiled down at her, almost tenderly as he wound his tie into a noose. Whipping it over Maura's head, he pulled just enough to make her pay attention. "Really, I can't believe how much fucking work you turned out to be- but I'm going to make sure to you make it up me. Now, I've made some plans..."

Maura stiffened as he reached over to grab a covered tray. Torture instruments? Needles, pliers?

Bender flipped off the cover with a flourish to show a large array of makeup. Reaching over, he yanked her to a sitting position, and Maura made herself as much dead weight as possible to make it harder. Finally arranging her the way he liked, Michael grinned at her again. "They never let us play with dolls when we were boys--makes you a sissy--but I've been hard all day, thinking about my walking, talking flesh doll." He yanked her a little to the left and arranged Maura's hair away from her face. "Well, maybe not walking, right, darling?" Third in Command chuckled fondly as he opened some face powder. "So, I'm going to make you my perfect little doll. You really should wear makeup more often, MacLaren. You're just as pretty as a princess, aren't you?" Michael gave her a sharp pinch on her cheek as she placidly watched him. "But I like my dolls to look a little dirty, whoreish, if you will. And since you've been spreading your legs for that fucking Pine, I'm sure you have all the tricks."

Maura carefully tensed and flexed any body part hidden under the sheet that she didn't think he'd catch, trying to keep the blood moving. Her desire to explode off the bed and beat Bender to death was excruciating, but Thomas's mocking voice came back to her: "You are much better than I in close combat. But you let your anger rule you."

Moving on to the mascara, Michael tilted her chin upwards to get the right angle. He paused, looking at her with a frown. "Where did that come from?" He prodded painfully at a tiny puncture wound on the underside of her chin, lightly ringed in black. "That's not one of mine..." 

Feeling the pain sent Queen Morrighann's visit to her in her dream rushing back to Maura, her lips moving soundlessly, "do what must be done."

"What, babydoll?" Bender's hard hand squeezed her cheeks, forcing her to look at his unhinged gray eyes. "Did you say something?"

Maura's seagreen eyes stared blankly back.

"Didn't think so," he patted her cheek just short of slapping it. "Back to work." Michael finished the mascara and started on her eyeliner, pulling the lid to keep it straight. "You may be thinking, how does a man like this know how to do something as ridiculous as women's makeup?" His tone was calm, even conversational as he continued. "Well, I finally tired of those stupid whores at the Corporation House not looking right-- too much makeup, the wrong kind. So I started fixing the girls to look right for me...right before I tore them apart." His manic grin was back, but Maura forced herself to stare back, expressionless. "Sometimes...sometimes it was even more enjoyable to redo their makeup after they couldn't move anymore." Michael chuckled, selecting some eyeshadow. "The perfect window of time is about 60 minutes or so after they're dead, you've got a good 3-4 hours of dressing up and fucking before rigor mortis sets in. The bitches would finally hold still so I could get the makeup RIGHT!" he barked. "Stupid cunts, all the crying and begging, 'I won't tell anyone, please Mr Bender!' Ugh. Really..." 

'Jesus, Mary and Joseph,' Maura thought, numb with horror.

"But YOU," he sighed happily, "you are PERFECT, my babydoll. You'll do everything I make you do and never cry or scream, will you?" Selecting a bright shade of red, Bender began meticulously painting her full lips. "Would you like to see how pretty I've made you, slut?" he asked solicitously, "Here- you're perfect." Bender's voice ended on a sigh of pleasure as Maura stared at the blank doll face he'd painted on her own. She could feel the rage and horror building in her, rising like a volcano through her core and trying to erupt. 

"But you let your anger rule you." Thomas had said.

"Do what must be done," hissed the Dark Queen.

Looking up, she saw that Third in Command was wiping sweat off his forehead. "It's so bloody hot in here..." he mumbled, heading for the cabin's small balcony and opening the doors, letting in the cooling ocean breeze. "That's better," Michael crooned, "can't have that pretty face melt off, can we?" He stopped at Maura's suitcase, looking over her piles of lingerie with a judicious eye. "Now, I put you in that little black number you're wearing while you were sleeping." He looked up and grinned at Maura in a nasty way. "I was dying to fuck you- you looked so pretty and sweet. But I wanted our first time to be...special." Bender walked over to the bed, leaning over her and blotting out the light. "I want you to look into my eyes the entire time I'm inside you. I want you to feel every, dirty, excruciating thing I do to you and know that you can't. Move. An. Inch." Up close the kaleidoscope crazy rotating through his grey eyes was obvious, inescapable. She wondered how long he'd hidden his madness, and worse, how long it had been set free. His hand reached down and took the end of the noose he'd put around Maura's neck, pulling her up by it, the silk bind inched tighter. "I'm going to put you in this pink satin set. Almost see-though, but so sweet. Dirty, but darling. Just like you, kitten." Roughly pulling off her bra, he chuckled. "Let's get this off you. We're so close now, babydoll. Almost ready."

 

When Thomas had strolled into the restaurant earlier that evening to meet Kingston, he felt certain about the soundness of his plan. The enraged face of the First in Command didn't surprise him, but the gun shoved in his ribs and the shooting of his men in back of the restaurant did. Kingston was literally incoherent with rage at Thomas's actions with General Nezzar and the new President Maaziz. Pine allowed himself to be taken without a fight, knowing that the next step of the plan would force First in Command to calm down and listen--if he didn't want to lose the £1.5 billion pounds the Corporation brokered from the REE bidding war.

He was furious when they promptly killed four of his most trusted men in his security detail- and the moment they boarded the yacht, the beating was underway. Bender was thrilled to participate, slamming his fist gleefully into Thomas's pretty face. "I've waiting years for this, asshole." 

Thomas shook his head, trying to put everything back in place. Ignoring Michael as if the man was beneath him, Pine addressed his comment to First in Command, who was bitterly nursing a glass of scotch. "Ben, you don't have time for this nonsense. The offshore accounts for the French and the Saudis will begin disappearing in-" Thomas strained to see the face of his Rolex. "-in 35 minutes from now. Either make the deal with President Maaziz or explain to our clients that we don't know where their £2.6 billion pounds went." He chuckled as Bender hit him again. "Maura was right, you do hit like a girl."

Expecting a snarl of rage from the unstable Third in Command, Thomas was disappointed. "Oh, Tommy boy, she'll be screaming for me soon enough. We'll see if she still thinks that when I'm pounding into that sweet little snatch." Thomas felt the blood drain from his face as Michael opened his phone to show a photo of his Maura, limp, unconscious and dressed in nothing but scraps of black lace. Thomas recognized them- he'd purchased them back in London via a personal shopper. Bender leaned close to the man he's been beating, knowing this blow would be worse than all the others combined. "I have you to thank, Tommy. I'd wondered how you'd kept that little hellcat so passive and obedient here. When we took MacLaren from the hotel and I shot that big Irish asshole, I found your stash."  Michael happily held up the slim case of syringes. "My sweet little flesh doll's having a nice nap. I'm just about to go wake her up. The hard way." His grin was unnaturally huge, like a shark's.

Thomas's expression hadn't changed from politely bored, but he suddenly smiled. "If you hurt her, I will rain the fires. Of. HELL on you, you demented fuck."

"Awww," Michael soothed, "someone's cranky because he doesn't want to share. Don't worry, I'm saving enough of her to have you watch round two-" Thomas slammed his head savagely into Bender's face, his effort far more effective than when Maura tried to use it on him. Third in Command's cheekbone shattered, and he noticed with satisfaction that blood was filling his left eye socket. Michael yanked his gun out of his holster, screaming curses as he aimed it at Pine's head. An irritable Kingston jerked his head, ordering two of his men to take the gun from him. Ben took the weapon and put it on the desk.

"You stupid bastard!" He scolded, "Pine's the only one who can retrieve the accounts!"

Michael was hunched over, wiping the blood from his eye. "Don't be daft, Ben. Hoult obviously is the one to have handled it. Fortunately, I brought him with us from the hotel. He's loyal to us- he led me right to MacLaren. I'll send him up to retrieve the accounts while I go tear a strip off my sweet little flesh doll." He turned and punched Thomas will all his strength, knocking him unconscious and sending the chair he was tied to down to crashing to the floor. "I'll be sure to record it for you, Pine." His chuckle turned into an excited giggle as he left the stateroom. 

 

Thomas could sense that ice cold feeling in his guts- the one that told him he'd failed again to protect her from The Pastor. He could hear his mother weeping softly from the corner of the room as his father finished switching ten year old Thomas. "Disrespect your father! Disrespect God! How dare you disagree with me!" The Pastor threw the switch down in disgust. Your mother is perfectly well and capable of her duties in the community! It is expected of us to lead by example!" Thomas's stormy eyes cut to his mother Sarah, who was trying to cough quietly. The Pastor's eyes followed in the same direction and he growled again, seizing his son's collar. "Do you understand, Thomas?" He shook the boy again. " _Do_ you!"

Closing his eyes to his mother's silent plea, ten year old Thomas nodded. "Yes, Sir," he gritted out between clenched teeth. It was one of many battles between Thomas and his father. The Pastor knew the boy would behave as long as Thomas knew it would keep his mother out of trouble. That ended when he turned fourteen. As The Pastor raised a switch, Thomas ripped it from his father's hands and snapped it in two. "You will not strike me again, _Pastor_." He stubbornly endured the cold water baths and meager food his father demanded as part of the family's "penance" for their wealth. The Pines lived in a huge stone Tudor, filled with priceless paintings and beautiful antiques. And as much as The Pastor craved the wealth and the status, the more he despised himself for having it. So the "penance" was requiring the entire family to live in poverty within their mansion. Thomas's mother was expected to work with every charity, volunteer at the local hospital, and head fundraising efforts for every school in the parish. The Pastor's demands on Sarah's time weakened her already fragile health and sparked more arguments between father and son. Thomas could still remember the final night he spent under The Pastor's roof- walking home in the dark from his tutoring session to hear the fragile strains of Chopin, his mother playing her beautiful piano to welcome him home. The last of 'Prelude Op.28 No.4 in E minor' was cut off abruptly as the sounds of The Pastor shouting and Sarah's tears greeted Thomas as he raced through the door.

"You will not bully her again!" he'd shouted, standing between his parents. 

The screaming match between father and son that night ended any connection Thomas had with his parents again. Sarah came to his bedroom, weeping and holding her stiff and furious son in her arms for the last time. "I contacted an old friend at Eton College," she said, smoothing his dark curls, "they're going to accept your exam results and you'll be starting there mid-year."

Thomas pulled back, looking at her reddened eyes. "I'm not leaving you alone here with that- lunatic!" he hissed.

"You will," Sarah said firmly, nodding. "You will. You will go to Eton and make me proud of you, just as I have always been. Your father-"

"He's _not_ my father!" Thomas shouted, enraged, "He has no soul! He doesn't deserve your kindness!"

The rest of their discussion that night was held in whispers and sobs, but in the morning, their only son was gone. Thomas's success at Eton and then Cambridge was spectacular. If anyone had ever told him that he was much like his father, Thomas would have likely punched them. But Pine did use the cold intensity learned from his father to his advantage, creating the intimidating and frigid shell that fit him like a glove. The last time he showed strong emotion was the day he received word from a neighbor that his mother was gone.  

"Mr Pine?" The voice of his secretary was nervous, knowing he hated unsolicited calls. 

"Yes," he answered absently, looking through a document.

"You have a call, it's from a Mr. Martin Southby, he says he's an old family friend?"

Thomas's brow arched, "Southby? Put him through."

"Thomas! I'm so glad it's you, I've had a devil of a time finding-" 

"Mr. Southby?" Pine cut through his old neighbor's greeting. "What can I do for you?"

There was a pained pause, and Martin's voice was kind. "Thomas, your mother has passed away."

Pine's mouth opened and closed soundlessly, then he forced himself to speak. "What happened?"

"Pneumonia," Martin said regretfully, "I'm so sorry- when you weren't at the service, I realized you'd likely, ah, not been told. Son, I'm so sorry-"

"Thank you Mr. Southby," Thomas gritted out, "I appreciate your call." Hanging up while the man was still trying to offer his condolences, Thomas sat behind his massive walnut desk with tears streaming down his pale face as he stared blankly out the window. When The Pastor returned home to his chilly mansion that night, it was to find the massive front door standing open and Sarah's grand piano gone. And after the old man finally passed, the final insult: a large, beautiful stone replaced the meager marker on Sarah's grave, reading "Beloved Mother."

 

"God- _damnit_ Pine, what have you done!" The howl of First in Command made Thomas's head shoot up as he regained consciousness. He was still on the floor. Kingston stood in front of him, vibrating with rage. Two of his men pulled Thomas upright, tightening his bonds again.

"You seem so unsettled, Ben." Thomas eyed him indifferently, "having trouble tracking the French and Saudi accounts?" Looking around the large stateroom, he could see Hoult hovered over his keyboard, shoulders hunched like a terrified vulture.

"Bugger that!" shouted Kingston, "Where are MY accounts, you bastard? Where are Bender's?" His Second in Command's expression didn't change, but inside, Thomas was laughing uproariously. 

'That little minx,' he thought fondly. "Why, what's the problem, Ben?"

"Hoult recovered the bid funds, but as soon as he re-activated the accounts, it set off another program that's taking our personal accounts!" Kingston was nearly screaming by now. "What have you done, you stupid bastard!"

 

The subject of Thomas's fond thoughts was currently being wrestled into the pink lingerie Bender had selected for her. 'Wait for it,' she gritted her teeth as Third in Command greedily squeezed her breasts while dressing her. 'Wait for the moment. Don't lose it.' Reverently sliding the pink bottoms up Maura's legs, Michael was rapturous. 

"You're beautiful, my little doll," he crowed. Taking out his phone, he took a picture of the girl in all of her motionless glory and sent it to Second in Command's phone. "Just sending a photo to Pine," he soothed. "I want him to see how perfect you are, right before I tear you up-" Maura's left leg shot out and nailed him in side of his knee, bending it sidways and pulling a scream from the bottom of Bender's lungs. Rolling off the bed, she pushed an elbow into his ribs, getting in a glancing blow as he rolled away. Pulling the lamp off the side table, he swung it at her, barely missing as Maura angled to the left. Pouring every ounce of strength she had into the blow, the heel of Maura's hand went into the bridge of Michael's nose, breaking it just as Thomas had broken his cheekbone. His longer arms came into play then, slamming one fist into her shoulder and snapping Maura's collarbone in two. Gritting her teeth against the explosive bloom of agony, she circled quickly, trying to get under Bender's flailing fists. "I'm going to beat you bloody, you fucking bitch!" he hissed, "Break every fucking bone in your- AH"! He yelped and Maura's leg swept his, knocking him off balance as she sent a shot to his ribs with her knee. Maura smiled grimly at the audible 'crack!' and his answering howl. One huge hand shot to her throat, groping for the silk noose he'd wrapped around her neck. Maura frantically reached down, seizing a handful of Michael's penis and one of his testicles, squeezing and twisting the fistful of flesh as hard she could. Dimly, under his responding scream, she could hear the pounding on the door and the queries from his security team. It would only be moments before they broke down the door, and her strength was fading rapidly. Third in Command managed to get under her guard and smash one brutish fist into her abdomen, knocking the breath of out her. Rolling on her back in a scissor twist, Maura crushed Michael's head between her thighs, clenching them as she savagely boxed his ears. He bashed one vicious fist into her broken collarbone, and the pain made her thighs loosen. Both dragged to their feet, circling each other. 

"Mr Bender! Sir! We're shooting the door lock if you don't answer us!" The shout from his bodyguard sent a bolt of terror through Maura. If they made it into the cabin, she was dead. Charging Michael, she slammed into his ribcage, driving her strong legs into the carpet and shoving him out to the balcony and over the railing. Wrapping her legs around his waist, her last thought before hitting the water was 'thank God we weren't on the top deck.' After the initial shock of hitting the surf, Maura felt back in her element. Water was safe, it was silent and dark. She ruled here. A savage bite on her arm sent out a huge gasp of precious oxygen from Maura's lips, but she pulled the last of her strength into her legs, tightening her grip around his torso. Michael was squirming wildly, like an eel, trying to slip from the girl's lock on him and swim for the surface. As they sank lower, Maura felt her left leg loosen as his fist slammed into it. She jammed a thumb into his eye socket, shoving in as hard as she could as bubbles flew to the surface as he screamed soundlessly. Her left leg was shaking and almost useless, but the girl hooked her right foot over her left, desperately trying to keep her grip as her other arm wrapped around his throat. Closing her eyes in agony against another fist slamming into her thigh, Maura started counting down in the back of her mind. They'd been under for around two minutes. Left leg finally dangling helplessly, she lost part of her grip on him as Bender twisted and thrashed against her.

Digging her thumb into his eye socket harder, Maura overcame her nausea from the pain and tightened her arm against his throat. 'Almost there...' she reminded herself, 'almost there, girl. Dinna ye give up.' The cool soundless dark around her was soothing, even as the pressure in her ears was rising to painful levels. Dimly, Maura felt Bender's thrashing slow, a trail of blood drifting from his eye and nose. '...three minutes...' But Maura couldn't let go, even as Third in Command's body stilled. Not until she was sure. With a final, painful twist, Maura snapped his neck. One violent jerk, and Bender was gone. She smiled, picturing the crabs feasting on his flesh soon.

Legs falling slack, Maura felt the darkness creeping into her vision, her body stilled from their descent into the Mediterranean. 'I've felt this before...' she thought slowly. 'Oxygen deprivation...' Suddenly, the vivid images of thrashing in those cushions in their tent came back to her, along with the frantic voice of Thomas, begging her to breathe again. 'He called me Maura-girl...' Her eyes shot open. Thomas! Oh, god she had to get back to the ship! With one final glance at Michael's slack and useless body sinking under her, Maura painfully forced her beaten arms to move, pulling her up again to the surface.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I anguished over this chapter. I've felt such pressure to give you a truly satisfying and brutal finish for Bender. God, I hope you feel the satisfaction you all so richly deserve for sticking with me.


	28. Smooth Bastard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura and Thomas truly understand the phrase, "Out of the frying pan and into the fire."

The stateroom was in chaos. Kingston was screaming into Pine's face and angry Saudis were shouting questions at Hoult, still hunched over his monitor as if it would force the numbers to make sense again. The volume level only increased when Bender's security detail raced in to report there was no sign of Maura or their boss in the cabin. "That makes no sense, you idiots!" First in Command ceased screaming at Thomas to direct his rage at the guards.

"Sir- the balcony door was open- it was the only way they could have-"

"You're telling me that Bender took his whore and decided to take a NINE METER JUMP INTO THE MEDITERRANEAN FOR A MOONLIGHT SWIM?" Kingston was beet red, nearly apoplectic in his rage.

"We're not saying that, sir! But it's the only other option- the door was locked from the inside!" Bender's security team was visibly shaking, knowing their lives were close to a brutal and abrupt end.

Remembering his lover's swimming scholarship, Thomas grinned. 'That's my Maura-girl.'

Meanwhile, Maura was feeling an ironic sense of gratitude to her Da. After years of taking beatings from the man, she'd learned how to push the pain away, bury it long enough to do what needed to be done. Watching the lights flashing all over the yacht as the men searched for her and Bender, Maura waited for the small launch boat take off to circle and look for them. Forcing her exhausted arms into a breaststroke she made it to the back of the yacht and climbed back on. Mentally categorizing the layout she'd seen on her forced march through the ship, Maura tried to think how she could gain weapons and where they'd put Thomas.

The entire yacht was in a state of low-key hysteria. No one wanted attention from the authorities or other boats, so most of the shouting was subdued. Thomas finally managed to pin Kingston with a firm stare. "Ben!" he said sharply, "stop hollering at everyone and listen to me." 

His furious First in Command ran a shaking hand over his bald head. "How could you have made this all go wrong so quickly?"

Thomas persuasively shook his head. "Everything can be retrieved. But I can't do it tied to this bloody chair. So, let me loose and we'll take the next step."

Angrily waving his hand, Kingston had one of his men untie Pine, who stood and stretched gracefully. Snagging a wet cloth from the bar, Thomas casually wiped the blood from his face and straightened his tie. He looked up to see the entire room staring at him. "What?" he shrugged, "I've been tied to that bloody chair for three hours. Now, then. Let's get this sorted out, shall we?" Pointing at the angry Saudis, Pine smiled soothingly. "Gentlemen, you'll see that your bid accounts for the REE partnership are intact. An acceptance email from the new Head of State, President Maaziz is forthcoming after I contact him. Now please, gentlemen. Don't disturb yourselves with our little internal...squabble. Hoult, give their financial man their accounts codes so he can see they're secure. Let's all have a drink and be calm, shall we?"

Nicholas knew he was staring at his Second in Command with a slack jaw and a doltish gaze of adoration on his face, but he couldn't seem to help himself. How could Pine upend his plight of being inches from death as his lover was being tortured by Bender to calmly making himself a scotch? 'Smooth bastard,' he thought in a mix of admiration and envy. Hoult turned to do what he was told.

Taking a restorative sip of his Jameson, Thomas turned to Ben, smiling as if the two were simply sharing a little joke. "Now, nothing changes for the Corporation-" he put up a stern hand to halt Kingston's protest. "Bender is likely dead, I'll admit. But the man was a liability. While it's a shame to lose MacLaren, she was a bloodthirsty little bitch, which is why I'm certain Third in Command is most certainly at the bottom of the bay right now." Taking another swallow of scotch, Thomas smiled pleasantly at Ben, silent and utterly aghast. "Now, let's finish this transaction, shall we?"

Pounds and contracts, that was something Kingston understood. Eyeing his Second in Command shrewdly, he agreed. "Certainly. So it's time for you retrieve our personal accounts, my boy."

"Of course," Thomas agreed, "I'll need to retrieve some items from our hotel suite. Precautionary measures, you understand, Ben." Pine knew he needed to get off the yacht and back into friendly territory. Maura would make her way back there as the only logical meeting point, and he had to know what really happened to O'Connell. They were both alive- he knew it- with everything in him, from the very marrow of his bones. 

"Of course," echoed Kingston. "I'll send some of our security along to keep everything running, smoothly, shall I?"

Thomas shrugged indifferently, looking over to see Hoult was calming the Saudis. As everyone relaxed, his hand slid to the gun taken from Bender and left on the desk, sliding it into the palm of his hand before anyone even thought to look.

 

Maura was surprised at how few people she actually had to dodge, searching the yacht for Thomas. She'd easily knocked out one of the men on the Saudi's security force and taken his gun, so at least she had one weapon. Finally, the sound of several voices lured her to the large stateroom she'd passed earlier that night in Bender's clutches. Her beloved was battered, but still intact, drinking a scotch and calmly conversing with Kingston.

First in Command smiled up at Thomas, "as I said, of course, dear boy. But I'll require some insurance." Pulling his gun, Kingston pointed it at Pine's forehead. "I believe a careful shot to say, the shoulder, won't kill you. But you will bleed out without medical supervision, so I imagine you'll be in a bit of a rush to gather those needed items at the hotel, correct? I'll even lend you the helicopter to help you on your way." Smiling in his avuncular way, Ben lowered the gun to Thomas's shoulder, taking off the safety. 

Maura couldn't chance it. She shot a hole neatly into Kingston's thigh, desperately longing to aim it at his murderous bald head but not knowing if they'd need him to escape. Recovering quickly, Thomas pulled his gun and kicked the one First in Command had held away from the man's writhing, bleeding form. He couldn't help the huge, relieved grin that stretched his lips as his Maura came through the door. "Am I interrupting anything, Mr. Pine?"

"Nothing crucial," he shrugged, ignoring the yelps of the Saudis and the sudden clicking of firearms all over the room. While he kept his gun on Kingston, Maura edged around him and aimed at the closest Saudi. He was wearing the most jewelry, so she assumed he was in charge of the delegation. "Darling, what _are_ you wearing?" 

Refusing to take her eyes off her target, Maura shrugged. "Ah...oh! Bender was having a fashion show with all the lingerie you brought with us." There was an uneasy pause. "It's transparent, now that I'm wet, isn't it?"

Thomas chuckled, "I'm afraid so, darling."

"So...essentially I'm naked, then."

"Well, yes, sweetheart. But may I say, there's never been a more welcome sight." He briskly kicked Kingston, who was still squawking about his wound. "Now stop whining, Ben. One would think you've never been shot before." Looking up at the room, he smiled blandly. "Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure. Sorry about the unpleasantness, but your deal with President Maaziz is sound. My associates and I do need to return to the mainland to attend to some issues. I'll need that pilot for the helicopter now?" 

It was her fault, Maura thought for years later. Her fault when Thomas was shot.

 

 

 


	29. He Took It For Me, You Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn about C-4 explosives, treacherous colleagues and extortion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for violence, character death.

Her combat instructors would have been disgusted with her, Maura thought. "Always keep scanning the room," they'd lectured. "You never know where the threat is coming from." But really, it was the last thing she could have expected when the shot rang out, hitting Thomas in the chest as he pushed himself in front of her. Maura furiously squeezed off three shots at the man who'd shot Thomas, sending him flying backwards. Diving for Pine, she found him on the ground and still hanging on to his weapon. As if the shots were a signal, the bullets started flying, everyone shooting in a different direction, not seeming sure on who they were supposed to aim at. Maura dragged Thomas to the doorway and into the hall, getting some cover while she frantically tried to pack the wound with one hand. 

"You _bastard!_ " Maura hissed, "what the hell were you thinking?" She squeezed off another warning shot as a shadow moved to the entryway. The answering yelp told her someone was down.

"At the time, saving your life seemed like a good idea," Thomas forced a grin. "Better my chest than your head, darling, which is where that bullet was meant for."

Maura kissed the top of his head. "Thank you, but- do you think we can make a demand to get the helicopter pilot out here? I've got to get you off this ship!"

"I doubt it," Thomas gritted his teeth as she pushed harder on the cloth napkins held against his wound. "I believe he was the second man shot."

Groaning, Maura was forced to fire twice more to keep the doorway clear. "We don't have much time. How many bullets do you have left?"

Thomas checked, "Five. We can't hold this position." 

"We have to move," agreed Maura, "give me your shoes?"

"I beg your- ah, you delightful, brilliant, clever girl. O'Connell told you about the C-4! I'd completely forgotten!"

"Yes, well," Maura said generously, "getting beaten up and then shot in the chest will do that to you." She forced a smile as she pulled off his shoes, but it slipped to a tremble of the lips as she got a closer look at Thomas's wound. Far enough away from the heart, but the amount of blood looked like the bullet nicked a lung. She reshaped her lips in the form of a smile by the time she propped his gun hand on his knee to keep it steady. "I swear that if Hoult survives this, I'm going to find him, kill him, bury him, dig him up, bring him back to life just so I can kill him again! Damnit! Who _wasn't_ that treacherous little bastard double-crossing?" Maura's hands were rapidly pulling the putty compound from the heels of Pine's expensive shoes. 

Thomas shook his head. "I brought Nicholas into the Corporation, he had no family outside of the group, really. I never doubted his loyalty."

Maura sighed, looking around her, "Maybe that's why. He thought we were leaving without him. Your arm still all right?"

Calmly firing off a shot at the door, Thomas smiled as he heard another howl. "Just fine, darling. Where are we with the C-4?" His arm was rock steady, but Maura watched the sweat streaming down his face and more red bloom from the white napkins over the wound. 

"Just fine," she lied, thinking "bloody O'Connell! You left me without a blasting cap or a detonator!" Looking down the hall, Maura leaned into Thomas. "Sweetheart, I need to get into that cabin for a moment. Are you all right to hold position?"

He shrugged elegantly. "Kiss me and then run along, darling." She did, desperately pressing her mouth against his, revelling in the taste and feel of his lips against hers again. 

"I won't be a moment," she promised, crawling rapidly as he shot at the door again. 'We're down to four bullets...damn, Maura! Think!' Once inside the cabin, she raced for the bed and scrabbled at the objects on the bedside table. Seizing the alarm clock, the girl raced out the door again, dropping to her knees just in time to avoid a bullet. "Almost ready, and then we'll get you out of here, all right?"

Thomas coughed painfully. "Give me your gun, darling. I'm out."

Handing him hers, Maura forced a smile. "Two bullets, make them count." Fingers flying, she yanked the wires out of the alarm clock and created a detonator for the C-4. Looking around the hallway frantically, she spotted a propane heater, used for chilly nights. Crawling across the narrow passage, she wired the bomb to the heating element and began pulling Thomas down the hall and out to the launch area. "Sweetheart, the launch boat is gone, so we're going to have to jump. I'll help you swim--"

"Only one problem with that. I can't swim."

Maura stared at him as if he suddenly sprouted another head. "But...you have that gigantic sailboat back home?"

He shrugged painfully, "Because I prefer to be _on_ the ship, not under it."

Pulling him to the back of the deck and grabbing a flotation device, Maura fired off their two last shots. "Do you trust me?" 

Thomas looked down into her seagreen eyes, gazing up at him pleadingly. "Of course," he said without hesitation. Kissing him fiercely, Maura wrapped her arms around him and fell sideways into the water. It was a blessedly short fall, only a meter or so, but Thomas's body convulsed and she knew how badly he was hurt. Hooking his arms into the lifesaver, Maura tied the rope attached from the float to her waist and began backstroking as quickly as her exhausted body could. Her left leg was still badly damaged from Bender's fists, so Maura was forced to propel them along with only her right. "How much time do we have before the blast?" Thomas ducked as they heard the meaty "thunk!" of a bullet hit close by into the water.

"Baby, we're going to dunk under the water in five, ready?" Maura's teeth were chattering, suddenly terrified she'd wired the thing wrong. "Five, four, thr-" the yacht exploded in a stately one-two punch: a painfully yellow fireball from the center searing their corneas and the red heat of the blast shoving them violently underwater from the impact. When Maura yanked them back to the surface of the water, flaming debris was raining down around them. Thomas lay still in her arms, and terrified, she slapped his cheeks. "Thomas? Thomas! Thomas goddamnit, you answer me!" 

Groaning, he forced his eyes open. "You told me on FIVE, MacLaren."

Sobbing even while she smiled, Maura kissed him repeatedly and started swimming again. Making her way parallel to the shore, she swam them to an inflatable tethered to another boat. Looking up, she checked to make sure all the lights were dark. If anyone was on board, the blast certainly would have brought them out. Rolling Pine into the boat, her blood ran cold Maura saw the red flow from his abdomen was increasing. Getting the tiny motor started, she turned them away from the fire boats racing for the Saudi's burning yacht. What was left of it was at water level now, the blaze still too intense to approach. "Thomas," she reached down to put a hand on his face. His skin was cold, but Pine smiled at her. "I'm going to take you back to the hotel. I can get you in that back way without anyone spotting us- you remember, how you took me to the beach that day? We'll get you medical help there. I don't dare try to move you any farther than that." Maura cringed every time she had to force him into moving again. She knew the pain must be terrible, but Thomas didn't make a sound. The back of the hotel was utterly deserted, even the overnight staff was clustered in front, watching the blaze. Making their way up the service elevator to the brightly lit third floor of the luxury hotel was surreal--staggering down the hall, leaving wet footprints and bits of soot and blood on the pristine marble floor. To Maura's shock, the door was unlocked. Propping Thomas against the hall, she took the now-empty gun and held it up, slipping through. Hearing another gun cock in the living room, she gasped "don't make me shoot you!"

"MAC-" there was a painful cough. "MacLaren, is that you, lass?"

"O'Connell!" Maura gasped, "oh, my God! I knew it! I knew two bullets weren't enough to kill you! Wait a moment-" She raced back out to retrieve Thomas, who'd slid down the wall into a sitting position. Her heart clenched at the smear of red on the wall that followed him down. "Come on, sweetheart." She groaned silently as she helped Thomas back up, "O'Connell is alive, but he's hurt, too. I'll get you both fixed up, all right? Just a little longer, Thomas, please?" Finally getting him on to a couch, Maura raced to turn on a couple of lamps and lock the door before seizing an armful of towels from the bathroom. Re-packing his wound, she looked over at O'Connell. "I saw that bastard shoot you! I told- I told Hoult to call someone here to help you-"

"No one came," the Irishman groaned, "so I'm guessing the little bastard isn't on our side. I came to a bit ago, there was an explosion that sounded like it took out half of Algiers. Your work, MacLaren?"

She smiled proudly. "It took that ridiculously huge yacht out in a thousand tiny pieces, O'Connell. Do you have your cellphone?"

He grunted painfully, "My left pocket." Hurrying over to grab it, Maura looked him over. One bullet was lodged in his left side, the other had passed cleanly through the meat of his shoulder. O'Connell had managed to rip down some towels from the bar just above him. "Bleeding's stopped," he answered to her anxious expression. "Just hurts like a motherfucker." She impulsively kissed the top of his head.

"We'll have you fixed in no time, you bloody indestructible ginger!" Looking over at Thomas on the couch, her hands starting shaking as she watched the trail of blood stain the white couch. "Thomas," she held his face in her hands, trying to ignore how cold his skin was. "Thomas, sweetheart, you must listen to me. How do you contact President Maaziz?" Forcing the numbers out between gritted teeth, Pine gave her a phone number. She smiled lovingly, kissing him. "I knew you'd have it memorized, clever man." Hitting the Facetime button, Maura dialed. After several rings, the call went to voicemail. angrily, she dialed the number again. Still no answer. This time, she spoke. "President Maaziz, this is Thomas Pine's associate, Maura MacLaren. If you'd like to get access to that REE bid fund before it disappears, I would respectfully suggest you pick up." There was a moment, then the phone rang again. 

The expression on the face of the new Algerian president was not a friendly one, definitely not the Mr. Maaziz that Maura had gotten to know. "Is this a threat, Miss MacLaren?"

"Absolutely not, Mr. President. But we have common interests. I need a discreet medical staff to treat abdominal bullet wounds in complete secrecy and you need your £2.6 billion pounds, correct? Until you formally accept the bid offers, the money doesn't enter the country's treasury, and your final ninety million pounds doesn't show up, either, does it? Please, Sir, I need your help."

There was silence as she stared at the fuzzy image of Maaziz. "Where is Mr Pine?" He finally asked. Maura moved the screen to show Thomas, lying still and pale on the couch. Turning the screen back to her, she stared pleadingly at him. Sitting back and folding his hands, Maaziz spoke. "One hundred and fifty million pounds."

Maura nearly dropped the phone. "I- I beg your pardon?"

"I will require an additional £50 million pounds in my personal account for such an investment in a foreign issue that doesn't really involve Algeria." Maaziz looked at her shocked face impassively. 

"You- you knew what they were going to do to Thomas, didn't you? You used him to gain the office, and didn't warn him, did you?"

"I have the responsibility to keep my negotiations with the country's important financial allies confidential, Miss MacLaren. But it seems that those particular clients have gone up in a ball of flame just moments ago, am I correct?" His dark face was still impassive, eyes no longer smiling behind his glasses.

"Yes," she gritted out. "But the financial interests of both the Saudis and the French remain seated. I'll be happy to release those to you now as a show of my good faith, just as soon as the medical team arrives here."

Maaziz leaned back. "You will release them now to prove you have the access codes, and then I will send the team. You have my word."

Maura kept a death grip on her emotions as her inner Morrighann was screaming for blood. "Watch your account. You will have half within 5 minutes. I'm sure you can have a team assembled by then that can be here at the hotel within 15?"

There was a pause, then the kindly smile she recognized from Maaziz was back. "Certainly. I shall stay on the line."

She broke three fingernails trying to get through the light switch before spotting a fork from room service that she used to open the fixture cover, retrieving her thumb drives. Maura cursed her shaking hands as she jammed one of the platinum drives into her abandoned laptop and rapidly entered the transfer information, looking over at Thomas and O'Connell. She actually jumped, startled when Maaziz's voice spoke from the phone. "Ah, three minutes and here is the transfer. Good work."

"And our medical team?" Maura forced herself to sound calm.

"In just one moment, Miss MacLaren." His calm, indifferent voice nearly sent Morrighann shrieking to the surface, ready to claw his face to ribbons. 

"Mr President," she managed, "time really is of the essence here."

"My concerns lie with the additional fifty million pounds for my personal account. Now, how will you happen upon such a sum within the space of the next few hours?" Staring at his impassive face, Maura wondered how her judgement could have been so clouded. 

Swallowing her hatred, Maura managed to speak calmly. "I have access to Mr Pine's portion of the broker fee. It is all we have, but it will be enough."

Her flesh crawled when Maaziz smiled at her fondly, like an indulgent parent. "Very well. Your medical team should be knocking on the door at any moment. I've instructed them to ask for Mrs Smith." Maura forced herself to thank him through numb lips, and true to his word, a knock sounded on the door in less than five minutes.

Maura and O'Connell stood guard over Thomas as the doctor and his assistants worked quickly. If the sight of their drawn guns upset the medical team, they gave no sign. Maura's aim swung to the door as another two entered. Both were carrying wet rags smeared with blood and ash. "We wouldn't want hotel staff concerned by the blood and contacting the authorities, Mrs Smith," offered one as they put the rags in a pile in the bathtub with the other medical waste. She nodded stiffly, forcing a smile as she kept her arm steady. O'Connell was next, grumbling and valiantly refusing pain meds as they extracted the bullet still in him, disinfecting the wounds and sewing them shut. 

When he was ready to guard Thomas again, the doctor pulled Maura aside. She'd finally pulled on one of Pine's shirts still in the suite and a pair of lounge pants. Pulling off his surgical gloves, he looked her over. "That's a very nasty bite, Mrs Smith. And it looks like your right collarbone is broken. I would like to treat you if you can sit down for a moment."

She forced a smile. "Thank you, after you update me on Mr- Mr Smith's condition, please."

The doctor sighed, running gel sanitizer over his hands. "I was concerned that his left lung was flooded with blood, but fortunately for Mr. Smith, it collapsed first. That saved him, since he could have literally drowned from his own blood if the wound had been a bit closer. I've given him a blood transfusion and tied up the internal bleeders. I'm running an IV line for fluids and antibiotics." He smiled a little and nodded to O'Connell, who was watching them suspiciously. "Your very loud associate refused an IV line. I gave him an antibiotics shot, but they'll both need a full 10 day course. May I see to your injuries now?"

Stubbornly shaking her head, Maura said "you still haven't told me if he'll be- will he be-" A loud, ugly sob slipped out before she could stop it. 

Pulling on another set of surgical gloves, man smiled. "He will be fine. Weak for a few weeks, but a full recovery. He was lucky."

"He took it for me." She offered suddenly, not sure why she was telling this stranger. 

"He must love you very much, Mrs Smith." 

And because no happy moment can avoid being tempered with distress, he reset Maura's broken collarbone with an incredibly painful push.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will there be celebratory smut in the next chapter? Oh, yes there will be!!!


	30. Don't Order The Crab

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thomas and Maura find "happily ever after" isn't that easy.

It turned out Hoult was wrong about help from the Sahara crew being 24 hours away. By the time the three were treated and released by Maaziz's medical team, O'Connell's phone was ringing. "SAHNOUN! BLOODY GLAD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE!"

Maura smothered a tired smile, at least it was proof the gigantic son of Ireland was feeling better. Walking sluggishly back to her laptop, she watched as two of the medical "assistants" set fire to any medical waste from the trio, even ripping the fabric and cushions off the couch stained with Thomas's blood. Finally, they turned and looked at Maura expectantly. "Would one of you call the president, please?" Sitting down, Maura plugged in the same flash drive again and waited for the connection. Pulling the bid funds first, she accessed the binary stream for the Algerian treasury and transferred the funds. "President Maaziz?"

"I'm here, Miss MacLaren."

"If you'll have your assistant check, you'll find the full £2.6 billion pound deposit pending. By pushing "accept," you are agreeing to the terms set within the REE mining contract between Algeria and the French and Saudi Arabian partnership."

"Understood. Accepted." The assistant holding the phone placed it next to Maura, where she could see Maaziz.

Watching the transfer go through, Maura thought bitterly that the contracts for those materials were worth at least ten to twenty billion more than the bid. But with a mental shrug, she realized that given what a treacherous bastard the new President was, he'd likely find a way to double-cross both governments and renegotiate.

"Now, sir. This is the final transfer of the additional £50 million into your personal holdings." Maura couldn't keep the chill out of her tone as she watched the Corporation's money drain away into the cesspool of Maaziz's greed. Her hand slid under the paperwork next to her laptop, feeling the familiar grip of the Glock O'Connell slipped her. It was unlikely the man was planning anything, but she wasn't taking any more chances.

The assistant picked up the phone, holding it to his ear, grunting in the affirmative. Holding it up once again, Maura levelly met the gaze of the Algerian President. "Our business here is concluded, Miss MacLaren. Do give Mr Pine my regards. Go with God."

The words tasting like ash in her mouth, Maura forced out, "And to you, Mr President." As quickly as they'd arrived, the medical group left, the doctor giving Maura more medication and bandages, along with some final instructions.

The sudden silence disoriented Maura, and she sat down on the bed next to Thomas as the strength left her legs. The next thing she felt were the smooth hands of Mr Sauhnoun tucking her into bed. "Sleep now, child. I will watch over you both."

 

 For one horrible moment, Maura thought she was waking to her life before- the sun slanting into late afternoon and every muscle in her body incapacitated with exhaustion. Hearing a slight groan to her left made her roll over quickly to find Thomas next to her, just beginning to stir himself. Watching his eyes open, Maura gave him a small smile, uncharacteristically shy. "How do you feel?"

His eyes were cobalt, warm as he smiled back. "Much like you employed all of your considerable martial arts skills on me. Twice." He admitted wryly. "And you?"

Maura shrugged painfully, feeling the protest from her newly set collarbone. "Eh, nothing more taxing than a typical bar night in Belfast. A few broken bottles, a few broken bones..." They shared a smile, the new intimacy strange, but not unwelcome.

"YOU'RE AWAKE? FINALLY, YOU LOUTS! I WAS SHOT TOO, DO YOU SEE ME LAYING ABOUT?" 

"O'Connell!" Thomas painfully sat up, "Thank you for saving the day, brother."

The praise actually seemed to deflate the Irishman, who frowned as he looked away. "BOLLOCKS!" He scowled, "UNLESS GETTING SHOT THE MINUTE THAT ARSEHOLE BENDER ENTERED THE ROOM COUNTS."  

"Not true!" Maura defended him stoutly. "Who planted the C-4 in Thomas's shoes in a completely James Bond-ish fashion? Who alerted Mr Sauhnoun to gain reinforcements? Who survived while grievously injured?"

"WELL," pondered the huge ginger, "I _WAS_ SHOT IN THE CHEST. TWICE."

Mr Sauhnoun entered, smiling to see them awake. "Excellent. I am ordering food now, why don't you two prepare for the evening and we can speak of what happens next?"

"Good idea," Thomas agreed, groaning under his breath as he got out of bed.

Maura painfully moved to head for the bathroom. Suddenly, she turned to Sauhnoun. "No matter what you get from the menu, don't order the crab. I mean it." Shuddering as she pictured the plethora of body parts currently littering the bottom of the bay, Maura turned to the shower. His dark brows drew together in confusion, but Sauhnoun nodded and left the room, drawing O'Connell with him. Steam was already filling the bathroom as she entered, Thomas slowly removing clothing, trying to not disturb his bandages. "Here, let me help." She gently pulled off his shirt and pants, examining the doctor's work from last night. Heaving a sigh of relief, Maura smiled up at him. "Everything looks good, the stitches held, no sign of infection." 

His expression was unreadable as he looked down at her, but Thomas put a calloused hand to her cheek. "Thank you for saving my life. In the most impressive possible way, I might add. What made you think of hiding the Corporation accounts?"

She shrugged. "I learned from the best, remember? Plans within plans within plans..." Maura smiled mischievously.

"Genius," Pine complimented. "Will you share the shower, darling?"

They were confused, standing under the cascade of warm water and letting it soak in. Both expected to touch and caress the other, stroking away the pain of the day before and sharing - gingerly - reunion sex. But it didn't happen. Both Maura and Thomas soaped and washed themselves, sharing smiles but nothing else. Drying herself with the fluffy towel he passed her, Maura felt a stubborn sense of dread.

 

Mr Sauhnoun was clever, he knew they needed to hide somewhere- as he put- "where there are many white people." Slipping aboard a jet under the cover of darkness, the four flew to New Zealand, renting a huge house on the Karehare Beach near West Auckland. Strangely, no one discussed what would happen next for several days, preferring instead to eat and drink, sleep and play in the exquisitely clear waters. While Thomas never entered the surf, there was a huge hot tub attached to the swimming pool on the terrace where he and O'Connell would sit for hours, marinating in the heat and swapping stories from past adventures. Maura and Thomas still shared a bed- Mr Sauhnoun had their bags placed in the huge master bedroom- but they didn't share themselves with the other. At first, she kept her distance, other than offers to massage his sore and beaten body. But as the days passed, the chasm between them grew, both seeming helpless to bridge it. Despite their wildly passionate past (or perhaps because of it, Maura thought bitterly) she had no idea how to seduce the man she loved. Even coming to bed in a delicious scrap of lace teddy a fortnight after arriving in New Zealand seemed to have no impact on Thomas. He gave her a chaste kiss on her temple and fell asleep, his back to her. Lying there in the darkness, the girl felt frustrated tears slip down her face.

Angrily taking a run the next morning on the beach, Maura could hear the voices of Pine and O'Connell before she could see them, thanks to the wind and the Irishman's inability to speak under the volume of a cannon going off on a battlefield.

"WHAT'S WRONG WIT' THE TWO OF YOU?" She could hear the ginger's irritable tone.

"Nothing, O'Connell. Now shut the fuck up." Thomas was annoyed, she could hear it. But his friend continued on.

"DOES NOTHING MAKE YOU HAPPY, YOU DAFT PRICK? YOU GOT OUT- YOU'RE FREE OF THE CORPORATION. AS FAR AS ANYONE BUT THAT BASTARD MAAZIZ KNOWS, YOU'RE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MEDITERRANEAN WITH THE OTHER TWO OF THE- WHAT DID MACLAREN CALL YOU? -THE MURDER TRIPLETS. YOU CAN HAVE A LIFE NOW WITH A BIG GODDAMN FISTFUL OF MONEY. WHY ARE YOU BEING COLD TO THE GIRL? AND DON'T YOU LIE TO ME- I WATCHED YOU SEND OFF GIRL AFTER GIRL AT CAMBRIDGE. I KNOW YOUR EXIT STRATEGY."

Maura could hear Thomas sigh. "That's exactly the point. Everyone on both sides of this war thinks we're dead. Maura could go back, be with her family and no one could trace her. There's no reason to keep her here."

"KEEP HER? YOU BELONG TOGETHER- SHE DOESN'T WANT TO LEAVE. HAS SHE SAID ANYTHING TO YOU?" O'Connell was pacing, she could see his huge form pacing back and forth.

"Belong together?" Pine was angry now, she could see the stiffness in his form as he got up to make another drink. "Really? A cottage with a happily ever after and what- children? A wedding ring? What exactly do you think I can give her, O'Connell? Other than a wait for someone to figure out I'm alive and where I am? Waiting for someone to kill her to get to me?"

O'Connell sighed. "IF I WERE SLIGHTLY MORE DRUNK, I'D BEAT THE SHITE OUT OF YOU UNTIL YOU SAW THE LIGHT, PINE. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT ON YER OWN. I ONLY HOPE YOU DO BEFORE YOU LOSE THE GIRL WHO IS UTTERLY PERFECT FOR YOU. AND TO TOP IT ALL, SHE LOVES YOUR STUPID ARSE. THINK ABOUT IT."

 

That night, Maura sent O'Connell and Mr Sauhnoun out for dinner. "You don't need to babysit the two of us," she smiled, "go take a break. I know how annoying the two of us can be. Especially Thomas."

Even the stoic Mr Sauhnoun guffawed at that before schooling himself into calm. "Very well, Miss MacLaren."

Thomas came down from taking a shower that evening, still drying his hair. Maura was at the stove, stirring something. "Where are the others," he asked, "aren't we dining together?"

She turned with a determined smile, "They're sick of us. I sent them out, I thought we could cook together?"

Even his smile looked forced, Maura noticed miserably. "Of course, darling." He said, "good idea."

She set the table outside on the terrace, lighting the lanterns and enjoying the sound of the surf as Thomas plated their dinner. They'd never had trouble talking to each other, Maura noticed with relief. When the subject fell on to Nicholas, she shook her head ruefully. "I know he betrayed us - all of us, really -  but I still miss him sometimes. But shooting you? I'm not sorry I killed him. I'm not sorry he's gone."

Thomas finished a bite of lobster, chewing reflectively. "I don't think Nicholas ever knew what side he was on, who he was loyal to. I suspect he just wanted to please everyone and just couldn't stop, somehow."

Maura forced a smile. "Well, the challenge now is what to do with the two and a half billion pounds we have in untapped Corporate funds. I don't want to brag, but you _are_ sleeping with a billionairess who could buy you a nice island."

"You're remembering I don't swim?" He smiled as he took a sip of wine, but it didn't go to his eyes.

"Thomas." She put down her glass, heart pounding. "Talk to me. What's changed, truly? That night, we were everything- we were everything to each other. Why are you pushing me away?"

He leaned back angrily. "Maura- damnit- I never gave you a choice, don't you see that? I forced you to do what I wanted and you did it. How could you possibly know what you even _want_? Do you think I can give you a happy ending? Children? I'm a bloody fucking criminal. Do you even _remember_ that?"

Flushing angrily, she shot back. "Yes, Thomas. I'm well aware of your status. And as you may recall telling me, I'm a bloody criminal now, too! Do you remember throwing that in my face? As it happens, I'm fine with it. I made my choice! What about you?"

He was up now, leaning restlessly against the railing on the terrace. "Maura, darling- you're very young, and I don't think you understand-"

"Don't!" She put up an angry hand. "Don't excuse yourself by pretending it's for my own good. I'm an adult, for God's sake! I've killed nearly as many people as _you_ have, Thomas! I'm not an innocent! If you no longer want to be with me, just be honest-" Maura angrily bit back a sob. "Is that it? This was just another operation? You didn't expect me to live and follow you around?"

His arms were folded now in a pose Maura hated, a Second in Command position that screamed the decision was made. "I don't want to hurt you, darling. But, yes. You're always HERE! Thank you for saving my life, but for God's sake, woman! As in any business transaction, it's time to split the assets and bloody _move on!_ "

Maura felt her breath evaporate, as if someone has just punched her in the stomach. She couldn't move, couldn't even speak, simply watching as Thomas angrily threw his drink over the edge of the terrace and walked away.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have faith in Thomas. Of course he's an asshole. Most men are, upon occasion.


	31. Who Do You Belong To?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maura attempts to murder Thomas. For his own good, of course.

'Get up!' she hissed to herself, 'don't just _sit_ here!' But Maura couldn't seem to stir from her seat, watching Thomas's lean form pace angrily across the terrace. As he neared the swimming pool and automatically altered his stride to skirt it, her eyes narrowed. 'It's time for Morrighann, lass,' hissed the voice within her. "Cic Maith Sa Tóin Atá De Dlíth Air, an' I'm here ta do it!' Shooting out of her chair, Maura was across the terrace in a moment and shoving Thomas into the deep end of the pool. 

Pine was so angry that he never heard her coming, never knew anything until the shock of hitting the water and wincing at the impact on his still-healing bullet wound. Rising ungracefully to the surface, he shook the water out of his eyes. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" he shouted at Maura, who was standing at the edge, arms angrily crossed. 

Shrugging insolently, she smiled. "Nothing, darling. You're so self-sufficient, you don't need anyone. Far be it from me to dare offer assistance."

Thomas was managing an awkward paddling motion that mainly seemed to turn him in circles. "You think this is the proper way to handle a discussion? I knew you were childish, but this is ridiculous! Now, just throw me something so I can get out of here."

Maura smiled nastily. "Oh, but I'm sure you can handle it, Second in Command. I'll just sit here and admire your effortless style." She sat down on the edge of a lounge chair, primly crossing her legs, letting her white dress ride up. 

He couldn't remember a time in recent memory that he'd been so angry at the girl, sitting there with her childish glee as he managed to make an utter arse of himself. Worse, his arms were tiring and he didn't seem to be making any headway to the edge of the pool.

She pretended to examine her nails, smiling internally. It was around 5 minutes now, he'd be getting tired. 

"Maura! God- _damnit_ woman!" Thomas spluttered as his head ducked under as he was shouting at her. 

"Yes, Thomas?" she inquired sweetly.

He groaned, starting the ineffectual dog-paddling again. "Did you really save my life just to drown me now?"

Standing up and stretching elaborately, Maura smiled innocently. "But darling, you just told me it was time to separate our "business transaction," remember?" She tauntingly made elaborate quotation marks with two fingers on each hand, feeling giddy. She _never_ would have dared sass Thomas like this before! It felt- well...it felt rather liberating, she mused delightedly as he continued to thrash. "I'd never dare bother a big strong criminal like _you,_ Mr. Pine."

Pine gritted his teeth. This saucy little bitch! Who did she think she was dealing wi- Slipping under again, he angrily kicked to the surface. "Maura!" Thomas shouted, "come in here right now and- and-"

"-help you?" She finished, maintaining her angelic smile.

His furious gaze met her determined one, trying to intimidate her into obeying him. But Maura held firm, standing on the edge with her hands on her hips, refusing to back down from his glare. 'Damn her...' he thought bitterly before capitulating. "Maura, would you please assist me out of this pool before I drown?" If he wasn't still weak from the broken ribs and bullet hole, Thomas likely could have made his way to the edge, though he wouldn't put it past the Irish witch to shove him back into the deep end.

She put a hand to her ear. "I'm sorry, darling. You said-?"

"Maura! GODDAMNIT! I'm sorry! I need you! Will you please help me?" Thomas yelled at the top of his waterlogged lungs, enraged beyond reason with her.

"Gladly," she answered, slipping off her sandals and diving effortlessly into the pool. Reaching him, Maura gently turned Thomas onto his back and put one strong arm around him, using the other to swim them into the shallows. "Here," she said, "come sit in the hot tub and warm up, then I'll grab you a towel." 

"I wish I had a gun right now," his teeth were chattering.

Maura laughed, delighted to see vulnerable Thomas. "Now, now," she soothed, rubbing his arms and chest briskly, trying to help him warm up. "You adore me and you know it."

He looked at her, his eyes still polar blue. "I meant what I said. Staying with me is the worst thing you could do."

Angrily straddling him, she hissed, "Well, Thomas. It's MY decision to make. And you belong to ME. So for a change, you will shut up and listen to ME."

Pine had never heard the sweet girl before him speak in such a tone, especially to him. "Who do you think you're speaking to, little girl?"

Pulling his oxford shirt open with buttons shooting everywhere under the water, Maura bit him sharply, just where his neck met his shoulder. "I'm speaking to what's _mine_. So shut up, Thomas!" Putting her hands on either side of his face, she lowered her lips to his, kissing him angrily, biting his lower lip and pulling it out with her teeth, releasing it to slip her tongue boldly inside his mouth. Arching against him, Maura sent his head tilting back as she continued to kiss him, furious with his games. To her amusement, Thomas was already hardening underneath her hips shifting over his lap. Pulling off her dress, Maura kissed down his neck, soothing the bite mark with her tongue. Her pretty white bra was transparent in the water, and she smiled as his eyes fell to her tight pink nipples, pressing against the lace holding them. Grinding her hips down and against his hardening cock, Maura could fell his hands take hold of her hips, squeezing as she did the movement again.  Pulling his shirt and her bra off, she arched against Thomas again, placing a breast near his lips. "Kiss..." she urged, biting the other side of his neck. With a groan, he obeyed her, greedily slipping his mouth over one nipple and pulling it sharply, held between his lips. Resting her cheek on top of his dark head, Maura sighed. "More of that," she urged, slipping her hand down to unzip his pants, pushing them down. She smirked when she felt Thomas lift his hips to help her push his pants and boxers down. One hand left her hip, and Maura hissed with pleasure as she felt two of his long fingers slide into her, his thumb gently tapping against her clit. 

Maura was already wet for him, Thomas realized with astonishment, feeling her push her pelvis harder against the heat of his cock as he played inside her. "Fuck," he groaned helplessly, squeezing her other hip with one strong hand, still nibbling and pulling at those lovely pink nipples of hers. He felt her plump lips slide down his neck, kissing and sucking on his chin, biting his earlobe. Her other hand was wickedly between their legs, feeling his calloused fingers slide in and out, then wrapping against his rebellious and swollen dick. Stopping his fingers for a moment to pull off her panties, Maura arched over the red, throbbing head of his cock, gently using the warm water to slick between them. Thomas began pushing his hips up, mindlessly searching for her, trying to slip inside that teasing pussy. He felt out of control, wildly aroused and clumsy, like a teenager again.

She squeezed his cock in a long, painfully firm stroke. Thomas groaned in spite of himself as Maura repeated the squeeze, sliding that warm little hand against him. "What do you want, Thomas?" she purred in his ear, the fine hairs on his neck rising against the tease of her breath. He grunted, lifting his hips against her harder, rubbing his painfully engorged tip against her, still feeling like his 15 year old self trying to get his dick into Sally Hemsworth on the couch in her parent's study. Maura raised up, blocking him from sliding into her. "What. Do. You. Want, Thomas?" Her lips were right against his ear, and she ran her tongue around the grooves before biting his earlobe sharply. 

Thomas shoved his hips up- hard, nearly slipping him inside her. "I want to be inside you, Maura. Now!" He groaned, still moving his hips, trying to find his way in.

Gripping his cock with one hand and lifting his chin with the other, Maura stared into his eyes, a wildly shifting hue of azure. "Who do you belong to, Thomas?"

His hips stilled as Pine stared at her beautiful face. His broad chest heaved, and he let out a sigh. "You. I belong to you, Maura-girl. Body and soul. Heart and mind."

A slow smile spread across her face. "Well, then." His head dropped back again and Thomas groaned as she slid herself down him. It had been weeks since he'd been inside her, and Maura felt impossibly tight, her hips gently pushing against him. Her pussy was hotter than the water, it seemed, hotter than the sun, and all he could think of was wanting to push and grind until the head of his cock slipped into her cervix and just hold- just hold and relish the feeling of being joined together with this outrageous, beautiful, impossible woman as deeply as he could. Thomas's hands tightened on her hips when he felt that sweet hitch of her breath that meant he'd filled her, full to bursting. Feeling Maura's head drop against his shoulder for a moment, he kissed her cheek, her neck, kept kissing her gently until the girl's hips started moving in a sleek, circular way that kept him buried inside her. Licking her lips, Maura gathered her scattered senses and whispered, "Who do you belong to?"

"You," Thomas groaned, "oh God, Maura-girl, you! Please move, my beautiful girl..."

His hands on her hips helped as Maura rose up and down on his, feeling like his cock slid further inside each time. She smiled teasingly as her hips pushed forward, grinding her G-spot shamelessly against the thick and spongy tip of his dick. Thomas laughed, arching his hips up sharply and knocking her off balance, taking over the work for a while as he easily moved her, sliding against him as he kissed his Maura, sucking on her tongue and whispering filthy promises into her ear. That was finally the thing that set them both off, and Maura gasped as his hands moved to her ass, greedily squeezing them as he jerked her up and down. Rotating her hips against his sawing motion, the girl started whimpering, trying to hold her intent. "Just one more thing before I allow you to come, Thomas darling." He grunted in affirmation, still immersed in the feel of her silky walls squeezing him. "Who- do-" Thomas was bouncing her hard now, her bottom striking his lean thighs with every push, but Maura tried again. "Who- do- you- belong to? Forever? Always? Ummm...oh, _God_ , that feels so good! No running away- no pretending this stupid male thing is for my own good! Who do you _belong_ to?"

It took more self-control than Thomas believed he was capable of, but he held her pussy still, just with the tip of him inside her, spreading her squeezing walls. "I belong to you, Morrighann Maura MacLaren. And you belong to me. Always. Forever. Everything you say is true. I swear it."

Her seawater eyes glistened in the water's reflection, and his Irish witch smiled as she shoved her hips greedily down his shaft again, setting off the explosive orgasm that consumed them both. Maura clutched to his shoulders, gasping as the sparks radiating through her pussy set off nerve endings all the way to her spine, making it arch sharply against him. Thomas bit mindlessly into her soft shoulder, groaning and clutching her ass with both hands, trying to push her down harder. Nothing had ever felt this good, nothing as tight and powerful as he shot rope after rope of come inside her, feeling it slide over her clenching walls. Neither Maura or Thomas could seem to move, clutching each other and shuddering as their coming together seemed to go on and on, each wave sparking the next.

 

Cic Maith Sa Tóin Atá De Dlíth Air - Irish Gaelic for "he needs a good kick up the ass."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this! I'm so stunned at the support, plot advice and endless laughs- laughs sometimes to the point of severe discomfort, but all appreciated anyway.


	32. Mediterranean Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which redemption comes in the form of a platinum collar and £500 million pounds of targeted generosity.

 

Maura looked out to the ocean, eyes squinting in the New Zealand sunlight. The four had decided to stay on in West Auckland for a while. No one was in a huge rush to make a move as the dust settled and old wounds healed. Maura saw Pine's first truly unguarded expression of joy the day his mother's beautiful grand piano was delivered, back in a place of pride in the living room. Maura would play for her "roomies" many nights after dinner, smiling as she watched three equally complex men relax into the sound of Bach, Chopin or The Pogues.

Even realizing she was giving up an advantage, Maura began giving Thomas swimming lessons in their big pool, then eventually the warm waters off the Karehare Beach. "Perfect, like everything he does, damn him," she thought, watching Pine dive into the surf, slicing strokes through the choppy waves to the buoy holding their new sailboat, then circling round again. Maura looked back down to her laptop, following the latest news out of London. The Corporation's abrupt collapse left a huge vacuum in the criminal world, and various interests were racing to take their position. Surprisingly, speculation about the end of Jaguar Holdings was limited. Anyone who needed to know about the spectacular explosion off the coast of Algiers- did. Suddenly sprayed with cold ocean water as Thomas shook his head over her, Maura squealed and bolted from her chair. Walking into the sunny kitchen, she called out, "What would you like for lunch? I'm doing the cooking for Mr Sauhnoun today."

"Anything but crab," Thomas grumbled as she laughed.

Their sex life returned in force, causing both their friends to move to the far opposite of the huge beach house. Maura was horrified when she discovered this, but since O'Connell and Sauhnoun never commented, she gratefully let the humiliating issue drop. It was different, though, she pondered as she sliced steak and chicken to go over a huge salad. Thomas was loving and responsive, but the arrogance and control he'd used so perfectly between them was gone. No more demands for her orgasms, no trying her up and torturing her with a long, painful arousal before allowing them both to come. assembling the food and carrying it out to the huge table on their terrace, Maura had to admit it. She missed the old Thomas, her arrogant Sir. She knew Thomas was forcing himself to hold back- every now and then his hand would sweep up and grasp her thin wrists, holding them together until suddenly paying attention and releasing her again. It began to feel like part of him was always simply sitting back and watching when they were entwined with each other.

It was another full moon that night, the fifth since they'd found refuge here. Maura was admiring it from their private patio when Thomas came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Mmmm...darling. You smell good," he smiled into her inky locks, beginning to kiss down her neck.

Turning around in his arms, Maura slid her hands down Pine's broad chest, admiring how handsome he was. "Oh- I have something for you."

He raised a dark brow, watching his Maura-Morrighann pull something from her drawer. Turning around, she brought it to him, holding it up with both hands. Thomas's heart skipped a beat when he recognized it- the thick platinum choker he'd bought her in Algiers. "I found it in your luggage- in that jewelry case when I was unpacking everything we'd managed to salvage from the hotel."

Thomas's dark head bent over hers. "I see," was all he said, gently running his long fingers over the shining band and her fingers holding the necklace.

"I thought- I thought you'd like to put it on me again?" Maura offered, not quite sure how to ask for what she wanted.

His cobalt eyes were rapidly cooling to azure as they flicked up from the necklace to look at her. "Are you sure that's what you want, darling?" Maura nodded, but he shook his head. "No, I need to hear you say it. You need to tell me."

"I want it," she answered, swallowing past the nervous lump in her throat. "I miss the way you were- as my Sir."

Thomas's slow, spreading grin was all she needed, as he took her hand and pulled Maura to the floor-length mirror leading to their huge closet. Standing behind her, he was close enough for her to feel his breath stir along the sensitive skin on her neck. Bending down to place a kiss on her neck, he slipped one huge hand around her throat to catch the other end of the shimmering band. Pulling both ends closed behind her, his fingers locked the clasp. Just before clicking it shut, his eyes flickered up to her widened ones. "Once this locks, I am the only one who can remove it. Are you certain, Maura?"

She could feel the heat of his body radiate off her back, the feeling of his calloused fingers rasping against the thin, soft skin at the base of her neck. Thomas's nearness was intoxicating, as always, but she knew this moment was significant. "You're not weak when you wear this, Maura-girl. I've never known anyone stronger." His assurance was kind, as his thumbs began circling on her back. "Do you trust me, the way I trust you?" Thomas pressed, looking into her eyes in their reflection.

The answer was instant for Maura. "Yes," she said, "of course." She smiled at Thomas as he pushed the clasp together with a click, then running his warm hands over her neck and shoulders, down her arms to hold her hands as Maura leaned against him. Her eyes dropped shut as he began sliding his lips over her jaw, gently nudging her to angle her face, bringing her mouth to his.

Maura could feel him slowly unzip the back of her sundress, slipping one strap, then the other off her shoulders. To her surprise, her bra came too- those long, clever fingers of Pine's busy as his mouth kept her attention. Even his kisses were different- harder, more greedy. Thomas sucked her tongue as Maura moaned, chills radiating from his arousal pressed against the small of her back. He chuckled, lightly circling one nipple, then the other with his calloused fingertips. "I've always loved the little spray of goosebumps that rise on you when my breath touches your skin," he murmured as he proved it by running the tip of his tongue from her shoulder to the delicate skin behind her ear, blowing on it.

"Mmmm..." She moaned happily, head lolling on his shoulder, eyes closed. Thomas pushed her forward, pressing her breasts and pelvis against the chilly glass of the huge mirror. 

"Open your eyes," he ordered. Maura obeyed, watching one of his arms cross over her breasts to hold her still as the other huge palm slid down her abdomen  and inside her panties, two long fingers spreading her rapidly swelling lips as the third slid up and down the silky path between her clitoris and pussy. "Such a sweet kitty," he mused, "so delicate, so warm and grasping." Maura could feel Thomas grin against her cheek as she shuddered, unconsciously pressing harder against his hand. "Such a filthy girl, pushing against me for more...do you want more, BabyGirl?" Her eyes were wide, looking at his narrowed ones gazing back, his smile positively devilish.

Putting one hand back, sliding down to grip his firm ass, Maura nodded breathlessly. 

"Ah-ah," Thomas chided. "Use your words."

Licking her suddenly dry lips, Maura whispered "yes, Sir. Please." She yelped as his knee slid between her thighs, lifting her up with a jolt. Thomas pushed his knee against the mirror and slid his arm down to press against her abdomen, forcing her to slouch against him. Taking her slim fingers with his, Thomas pushed them together into her pussy. Maura gasped, shoulders pressing back against his chest as the burn of four fingers invaded her. Looking down to where their fingers joined, Pine made an irritated hiss before twisting her undies with his other fist and tearing them off.

"Ah! Thomas!" Maura didn't know whether to laugh or moan, "I'm going to run out of undies like...tomorrow if you keep tearing them off me at this rate."

Eyes narrowed and watching their fingers slide in and out of her, Thomas grunted indifferently. "I'd prefer you with none at all, darling. But the only kind I'll allow you to wear are those I can tear right off you." He drove their fingers in deeper as Maura hissed. It hurt, but it felt too good to stop- the dichotomy between the two feelings was one she couldn't understand, but she craved both when Thomas gave them to her. He spoke into her ear, his voice darker and more guttural. "Do you remember our little lesson in Algiers?" She was mesmerized by the sight of their reflection- their fingers pushing in and out of her, becoming more slick and shiny with each pass. His fingers suddenly stopped, Thomas's thumb pressed hard against her clit. "I asked you a question, little girl." 

Maura draw in a sharp breath. "You- you, ah, god that's good!" She moaned as their fingers moved again. "You showed me where my G-spot was, Sir."

His smile was sin. "Yes, my perfect, dirty girl. Now, make yourself come, and you can have my cock in between those lovely, coiling walls." Flushing, she moved her fingers with his. But when Maura's eyes drifted shut, they popped open instantly as Thomas gave her a sharp slap on her clit. "Eyes open," he said unsympathetically, "you will watch everything- look at those sweet, pink nipples rubbing against the glass...your supple hips pushing forward, trying to press our fingers against that little spot inside you. God, baby, look how slick and wet you've made us-" with one hard press, their joined fingers pressed firmly against her G-spot. "One." His filthy, silky tone rasped against her nerve endings as Maura's breath caught in her throat. "Two."

Every nerve in her body was centered on that rough patch as she could feel herself tighten against their fingers. "Siiiiir..." Maura slurred, trying to beg Thomas.

His long fingers stilled hers, then said "Three. You may come for me."

The sound that came from Maura was a confusing mix of relief, pain, overwhelming pleasure and shock as her sweetness suddenly drenched them both. Pine's low, pleased chuckle barely registered as he pushed their fingers again, forcing another orgasm from Maura. Thomas slid their fingers from her, turning Maura and roughly hiking her up, then down straight on his painfully swollen dick. "Ah! Oh, God!" She moaned, wrapping her long legs around his waist and holding on as Thomas started slamming into her. 

His grin was savage, profane even but Pine couldn't stop. Her passage was still spasming from her orgasms, almost trying to push him out. The sweet slickness from Maura soaked their thighs, squelched and slapped between them as Thomas continued to slam up into her. Everything shrank in his vision to only the sight of them joined together. "Come for for your Sir again, baby." His voice was guttural, almost unrecognizable.

It never occurred to her to disobey, so as Thomas lifted her and forced her back down on his cock one last time, they came together, howling into each other's mouth. The strength leaving his legs, Pine managed to slide them down the mirror to land in a boneless heap, his cock still pulsing inside her. 

It was then they realized their terrace door was open as O'Connell's irritated bellow sounded. "THAT'S IT! THOSE TWO ARE LOUDER THAN THAT HILL I EXPLODED IN THE BLOODY SAHARA! I'M HOUSE-HUNTING TOMORROW!"

 

Lying in bed much later, Thomas idly stroked the soft skin of Maura's leg as they curled against each other. "I still can't believe you thought you were going to chase me off," she smirked, kissing the bridge of his nose. 

Thomas's expression sobered. "I should have let you go so many times, I should have- but, I'm not a good man. No, wait." He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "That's not what I want to say. You make me want to be a better man."

He watched her eyes, the color of the green sea glass he used to find on the beach at Brighton as a child. They glimmered, a teary smile crossing her lips. "You _are_ a good man, and I love you." Maura kissed him slowly, blissfully, then pulled back and chuckled. "Though it took a while to predict your moods."

"Predict my moods?" Thomas smiled at her, his mouth just curling at the corners. "After all my work to become inscrutable?"

 "You're the epitome of the British 'stiff upper lip,' darling." She teased, "But I can tell your mood by the color of your eyes."

"Such as?" He asked, shifting to roll her on top of him.

Maura rested her chin on his chest. "Cobalt means you're pleased. Polar blue means I'd better run like hell. Azure means you're going to give me the shag of a lifetime..."

Thomas smiled, taking her hand and kissing each finger. Finally looking into her eyes, he asked, "And what color are they when I tell you I love you?"

Gently sliding up his chest until she was hovering over his lips, Maura gazed down at his beautiful eyes. "Mediterranean. They're Mediterranean blue."

 

                                                                  ___________________

 

Within a month of the disappearance of the Big Three and the subsequent collapse of the Corporation, a flood of money spread across Great Britain with specific requests:

 

~ Angus was just throwing his gear into the tiny. cluttered office at the London YWCA when the secretary popped in with a package for him. "What's this, then?" he asked, turning it over and over in his huge, scarred hands.

"I'm not sure," she shrugged, "but it came special delivery via Royal Mail. Had to sign for it."

Opening the package reading the letter, Angus had to sit down abruptly, nearly crushing the office chair. Four months later, he opened the "A & M Martial Arts Academy," which offered free self-defense courses for women. The original group from Maura's classes were all black-belt certified to teach, and also managed the endowment that gave grants to domestic violence survivors to seek safe housing and get job training.

 

~ A delivery of 2,500 grand pianos arrived to low-income London secondary schools, along with funding for free lessons for lower-income students.

 

~ In Northern Ireland, a huge public information campaign was launched to connect to domestic violence victims and women struggling with substance abuse. A fund overseen by the country's YWCA group gave vastly expanded resources to actively reach out to the women and their children with support, housing and counseling for addiction issues.

 

~ In Belfast, a £50 million poundscholarship was started for primary school students in low-income areas, assigning a scholarship amount for any student who maintained a medium-level grade. 

 

~ A private donor created a new course series required for graduation from the International Relations College at Cambridge University, called "Ethics & Moral Responsibility In Government."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was with mild surprise that I even thought of another story idea after Dr Laing's Loose End, interested for some reason with the complete oddity of the High-Rise. (Take a look if you liked this story.) What was a huge surprise were all these clever, interesting women who added their opinions, reactions and made me laugh hard enough to actually hurt myself. (Those responsible know who you are, and likely don't care.) I've been uneasy for weeks because nothing else was coming to me, but while running a couple of nights ago, I thought of something to try involving Loki. (Let's be honest, who doesn't LOVE Loki? It's Tom's pinnacle of Awesome.) I have a quick one-shot coming out in a day or two in honor of High-Rise FINALLY being released stateside, and I hope you'll stick around for Loki's chance to tangle with a (hopefully) worthy female adversary. And will there be smut? Oh, YES THERE WILL BE! 
> 
> Women, thank you. I'm so appreciative of the community that's grown around these stories. You are utterly amazing.


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